On a possible general election: it's too late for one to take place before October 31st.
Even if parliament voted today to trigger an election, there isn't enough time before Oct 31st to squeeze in the statutory 25 working days between dissolution and polling day.
On a possible general election: it's too late for one to take place before October 31st.
Even if parliament voted today to trigger an election, there isn't enough time before Oct 31st to squeeze in the statutory 25 working days between dissolution and polling day.
You need five weeks to campaign. So even if a GE (and therefore parliamentary recess) was called tomorrow, that would bring it up to Oct 31st.
Then you have the Queen's speech to start a new parliamentary session, a 6 day debate on the Queen's speech and then a vote on that Queen's speech that the parliament has confidence in this new government. Assuming that there isn't a hung parliament which would add extra days before the Queen's speech as a coalition or confidence and supply deal needs to be worked out.
On a possible general election: it's too late for one to take place before October 31st.
Even if parliament voted today to trigger an election, there isn't enough time before Oct 31st to squeeze in the statutory 25 working days between dissolution and polling day.
You need five weeks to campaign. So even if a GE (and therefore parliamentary recess) was called tomorrow, that would bring it up to Oct 31st.
Then you have the Queen's speech to start a new parliamentary session, a 6 day debate on the Queen's speech and then a vote on that Queen's speech that the parliament has confidence in this new government. Assuming that there isn't a hung parliament which would add extra days before the Queen's speech as a coalition or confidence and supply deal needs to be worked out.
Some speculation that a bill to shorten the requirement could be passed but it would be unlikely.
I see the BBC News clipboards are not even Reithed yet when Simon McCoy is holding one outside Westminster. Do they have the 2008 logo on them because it looks quite big?
On a possible general election: it's too late for one to take place before October 31st.
Even if parliament voted today to trigger an election, there isn't enough time before Oct 31st to squeeze in the statutory 25 working days between dissolution and polling day.
You need five weeks to campaign. So even if a GE (and therefore parliamentary recess) was called tomorrow, that would bring it up to Oct 31st.
Then you have the Queen's speech to start a new parliamentary session, a 6 day debate on the Queen's speech and then a vote on that Queen's speech that the parliament has confidence in this new government. Assuming that there isn't a hung parliament which would add extra days before the Queen's speech as a coalition or confidence and supply deal needs to be worked out.
Some speculation that a bill to shorten the requirement could be passed but it would be unlikely.
Contrary to Geoffrey Cox's tease earlier, I understand the Govt won't be tabling a fresh election vote for the moment - be it under FTPA or a one-line bill. The thinking is since defeat is certain, don't bother.
The Stoke stuff wasn't great either, pretty much the entire population of England's medium-sized towns must've been vox popped over the last three years. If they just replayed the same clips every night of a young person saying how worried they are and an older person saying "get on with it" you'd end up just as enlightened.