“At this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in Westminster, but instead there is division.The country is coming together, but Westminster is not,” says the current prime minister, Theresa May now that “election UK” is in high gear.
Theresa May leads a vote in the House of Commons to authorize a general election. Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, two-thirds of MPs (434 of them) must back her motion. That means at least 100 or so non-Tory MPs must vote for it.
Jeremy Corbyn and Lib Dem leader Tim Farron have both welcomed the election, signalling this will easily happen, however, there is another way an election could be forced. It can happen if Parliament, by a simple majority (half of MPs), backs a no confidence motion in government as the “election UK” spirit charges.
Passing a no confidence motion in their own government, wouldn’t be a good look as they head into an election.The other 27 nations of the EU will meet for a major summit on how to negotiate Brexit .
The outcome of this meeting will be crucial for Theresa May. If it goes well for her she can say she is leading the country in a calm, orderly divorce from Brussels. If it doesn’t, her critics will have timely fodder to say her Brexit plan is heading towards disaster.
At this moment, MPs stop being MPs, lose their pay and privileges and in a legal sense, there is no Parliament. The Prime Minister however, remains in charge of the country, meaning the country won’t be totally leaderless if war breaks out. This is also the start of the “short campaign” where candidates are subject to incredibly strict limits on campaign spending.
MPs will drain out of Westminster like water down a sink. Activists will pound doorsteps, phone banks and battle buses will fill up, and posters will appear behind picket fences and in terrace windows across the nation.
