Johnson tells Tories to prepare for ‘tough’ election campaign
4171 Min Read
Boris Johnson has said he is prepared for a “tough” general election battle after MPs cleared the way for the first December poll in almost a century.
Following his Commons victory on Tuesday – at the fourth time of asking – the prime minister sought to rally Tory MPs telling them it was time to “get Brexit done”.
The one-page Bill enabling the election to be held on December 12 now goes to the House of Lords, but it is unlikely to be held up in the unelected upper chamber.
Once it receives the royal assent, it will pave the way for Parliament to be dissolved on November 6 marking the start of the campaign in earnest.
In the end, the Bill passed the Commons by 438 votes to 20 – although a vote to alter the date, which Downing Street warned would scupper the whole thing, was much closer with a Government majority of just 20.
The Conservatives go into the campaign in buoyant mood, with one opinion poll at the weekend putting them 16 points ahead of Labour.
Addressing his MPs at Westminster however, Johnson cautioned against any complacency.
“It’s time for the country to come together, get Brexit done and go forward. It’ll be a tough election and we are going to do the best we can,” he said.
