British parliament approves bill for snap elections on Dec. 12
In this photo provided by the U.K. Parliament, British Members of Parliament vote in favour of the Creasy amendment to the Election Bill, in the House of Commons, London, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019. AP-Yonhap
The British parliament passed legislation Tuesday calling for a general election on December 12 after Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanded the vote in hopes of pushing along the Brexit deal he hammered out with Brussels.
The House of Commons voted 438 to 20 in favour of the election, in which Johnson aims to secure a majority for his Conservative Party in the lower chamber of parliament.
The legislation must still be passed by the upper house, the House of Lords, though this is seen as more of a formality.
"It'll be a tough election and we are going to do the best we can," said Johnson after the legislation was passed.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also seemed ready to head to the polls, releasing a campaign video after the vote calling for " real change."
The ratification of Johnson's Brexit deal came to a halt last week when British lawmakers indicated their approval but rejected a three-day timetable to scrutinize it and turn it into law.
In the meantime, EU member states agreed to grant Britain a three-month flexible delay on its departure from the European Union until January 31, allowing time for Johnson to call for snap elections.
Johnson has said a new parliament is needed to secure a "new mandate to deliver on the will of people and get Brexit done."
A handout photo made available by the UK Parliament shows the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson speaks during a debate of the Early Parliamentary General Election Bill in during an election debate in the House of Commons in London, Britain, Oct. 29, 2019. EPA-Yonhap
Johnson's move is familiar to his Conservatives. His predecessor, former prime minister Theresa May, had also called for early elections in 2017, hoping to increase her party's numbers in parliament, but instead ended up losing her slight majority.
Pollster YouGov said the Conservatives are polling at 36 per cent compared to 23 per cent for the main opposition Labour party.
Johnson said an election was needed because further delay on Britain leaving the European Union "is becoming seriously damaging to the national interest." In his remarks Johnson criticized Labour, saying "all they want to do is procrastinate."
Johnson's three previous motions for a snap election had failed, but earlier Tuesday, Labour lifted its resistance to the move.
Smaller opposition parties had already signalled their approval for new elections.
A December vote is a rare event in Britain - the last was held in 1923. Critics have cited difficulties in reaching voters in the run-up to the Christmas holidays, poorer weather and darkness as obstacles.
Corbyn said his party "backs a general election because we want this country to be rid of this reckless and destructive Conservative government."
The parliamentary leader of the opposition Scottish National Party (SNP), Ian Blackford, welcomed an election that will allow Scotland to "determine its own future."
Prior to approving the December 12 election date, members of parliament Tuesday rejected an amendment to the legislation seeking to push forward the date of the election to December 9, a date preferred by some members of the opposition. (DPA)