Three goals set as Labour vows not to back early election motion tonight

Labour has said it will not support Boris Johnson’s motion for an early election that will be brought to the Commons tonight, and the party leadership has set three key objectives – the earliest possible election, stopping no deal and stopping an election date change.

The three goals were articulated by Jeremy Corbyn’s spokesperson as follows:

1. “We are committed to the earliest possible election.”
2. “We want to be sure of stopping a no-deal crash-out on October 31st.”
3. “We want to be sure of the government being unable to change the date or allow a crash-out during an election campaign.”

“We have been attempting to find mechanisms to do all those three things,” Corbyn’s spokesperson said today. “We think we can do all those three things. We continue to support an early general election.”

The spokesperson added: “Jeremy has made clear that the bill going to parliament today needs to pass its stages and needs to have Royal Assent. Then, once we’re confident that they can’t crash out on October 31st… we will support a general election.”

The options available to the opposition to stop the Prime Minister changing the date of the election remain unclear, and “whether there needs to be additional mechanisms” for that aim is still being explored according to the Labour leader’s spokesperson.

The Benn Bill being considered by MPs today, before going to the Lords, is expected – if it passes all stages – to receive Royal Assent on Friday or Monday. At that point, the Labour leadership would be happy to support a snap poll.

However, many Labour MPs remain concerned about an election being called before an extension to Article 50 is requested by the Prime Minister. They are worried the Johnson could refuse to abide by the law.

A number of Labour MPs have also privately told LabourList that they suspect Labour’s chances of winning a pre-Brexit election are slim. Referring to their prospects at the ballot box, one backbencher said: “We’re going to get murdered.”

It is possible that if Labour loses an election held on October 15th, as suggested by the Prime Minister, Johnson could then take the UK out of the EU without a deal and the newly reconstituted parliament would allow the Benn Bill to be repealed.

Asked for a message to these anxious Labour MPs who favour an election after October 31st, when Johnson would be politically damaged as the UK would not have left the EU, Corbyn’s spokesperson said: “Boris Johnson is already damaged and demoralised.”

The spokesperson added: “It’s perfectly understandable that Labour MPs are concerned about the threat of this government and this Prime Minister manipulating procedure and prerogative powers to force through a no-deal crash out for which there is no mandate. That’s why we’re looking at whatever is necessary to prevent that.”