-The UK to hold pre-Xmas elections
The U.K. has now nearly three months to deliver Brexit and agree on a new deal. Markets have been relieved with the greater possibility of taking a no-deal off the cards for the time being.
On Tuesday, British lawmakers gave the green light to an early general election after a crucial vote that followed hours of debate. The election will be held on Dec. 12 after the bill submitted by the government received 438 votes in favor and 20 against.
The vote aims to break the deadlock in the House of Commons over Brexit. The current composition of the government does not allow parliament to make any decision on Brexit. The election could help bring about a new form of representation to ease the decision-making process.
The decision to go to polls came on the day the EU formally adopted a flexible extension -- dubbed “flextension” -- until Jan. 31, 2020, which means the U.K. could leave the union if the revised Brexit deal is ratified by the House of Commons on an earlier date.
Last week, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage urged the ruling Conservative Party to enter an alliance in the upcoming Dec. 12 election.
In his election campaign launch, Farage underlined that an alliance would unite Leave votes against the Labour Party. He said bringing the parties together was "the only way" forward and that if this offer was turned down, the Brexit Party would name candidates in "every single seat" in England, Scotland and Wales.
- Corbyn considers Trump’s remarks “intervention” in election
Farage’s remarks came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for such an alliance in a radio talk show with the Brexit Party leader.
"I would like to see you [Farage] and Boris get together because you would really have some numbers, because you did fantastically in the election, the last election," Trump told Farage on the LBC show on Thursday.
Farage, a staunch Brexiteer and former leader of the far-right U.K. Independence Party (UKIP), launched the populist Brexit Party in April 2019.
In reference to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Trump said: "Corbyn would be so bad for your country, he'd be so bad, he'd take you on such a bad way. He'd take you into such bad places."
Corbyn reacted to Trump’s remarks, describing them as an "intervention" in British politics.
The Conservative Party has yet to respond to the alliance calls from Farage. However, party sources say it is out of the question as the latest polls show Tories with a clear lead.
Nonetheless, recent polls have been unsuccessful in detecting the outcome of the last two general elections, the Scottish referendum and the EU referendum.