Boris Johnson primed to call an early election

Boris Johnson could make a third attempt to trigger a general election as early as Friday.

Boris Johnson during prime minister's questions on Wednesday. Picture: AFP

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson could make a third attempt­ to trigger a general election as early as Friday, it is understood.

Mr Johnson is preparing to challenge Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to send voters to the polls as soon as another article 50 extension has been granted by the EU, a decision that is expect­ed on Saturday. He is ­likely to lay a motion under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act on either Friday or Monday that would force MPs to decide before­ the October 31 deadline whether to allow an election.

The EU is expected to grant a second extension on Saturday. European leaders are split over the length of any extension, though, with French President Emmanuel Macron pushing for Britain to be given no more than two more weeks.

Mr Macron is believed to have told European Council president Donald Tusk that ­British MPs need “a maximum of 15 days” to debate the Withdrawal Agreement Bill and the new Brexit date should be set at November 15. He is concerned a move by Mr Tusk to give a longer extension, until January 31, will take the pressure off the British parliament and lead to prolonged deadlock without a deal.

French European affairs minister Amelie de Montchalin told her country’s Senate that although Britain would not meet Mr Johnson’s “do or die” deadline of October 31, it should not be let off the hook.

“We will see whether a purely technical extensio­n of a few days is justified, so that the British parliament can complete its parlia­ment­ary procedure,” she said. “Outside of this perspective, an extension intended to win time or renegotiate the agreement is excluded. We have lost too much time. We have reached an agreement and we must now imple­ment it without delay to stop an uncertainty that is hurting millions of citizens and businesses.”

There is scepticism in Downing Street over France’s move, however.

German Chancellor ­Angela Merkel is said to have made clear in a phone call with Mr Johnson that she opposed anything but an extension until January 31.

A compromise proposal of a short extension until November 30 is gaining ground among EU ambassadors. However, most European governments believe the most “neutral” approach, to avoid accusations the EU is interfering in British politics, is to have built-in break clauses allowing Brexit to happen earlier if the withdrawal agreement is ratified.

“We are waiting to hear what the UK wants but, given the risk of looking like we’re interfering in domestic politics, the most neutral position seems to be three months,” a diplomatic source said. The final decision will depend on the outcome of talks in Brussels.

Mr Johnson met Mr Corbyn with their chief whips on Thursday after Labour offered to facilitate a new timetable for Brexit legislation, following the defeat of the original program motion on Tuesday after his withdrawal bill itself was passed by the House of Commons.

Mr Johnson’s opposition to the prospect of making another attempt to pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill has hardened, despite pressure from some cabin­et ministers. Instead, he is understood to be determined to make another attempt to secure an election, despite two previous failures to secure the two-thirds majority needed under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.

An alternative route of seeking to induce a confidence vote in his own government, which requires a simple majority, has been judged too risky but is being held in reserve.

Mr Corbyn’s office suggested he would back an election as soon as the EU agreed to an extensi­on. The bulk of Labour MPs are likely to rebel rather than vote for an election that could be disastrous for the party.

The Times