Government defeated twice on holding an early General Election

The Government was defeated on Wednesday 4 September 2019 on a motion under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 (No.2) calling for an early General Election. I abstained on the vote and the motion was defeated by a majority of 242 (Ayes: 298, Noes: 56). This was well short of the 434 votes required to pass such a motion.

HM Opposition support a general election, but it cannot come at the cost of inflicting the disaster of no-deal on our communities, our jobs, our services, or our rights.  No-deal would not be a clean break. It would not mean just getting on with it. It would start a whole new period of confusion and delay, but this time set against a backdrop of rising unemployment, further de-industrialisation and deepening poverty all across this country.

The Government brought this motion back to the House again on Monday 9 September 2019. I abstained on the vote and the motion was defeated by an increased majority of 247 (Ayes: 293, Noes: 46).

This was the sixth Government defeat in six days.