I'm Almost Feeling Sorry For Jezza...

[ToraToraTora]

Been dreaming of an election for the last 3 years, mentioning it at every turn, yet when dangled in front of him he bottles it. As Bojo says, he must be the only opposition in history to support the government!

[jim360]

He's only bottling it until the Withdrawal (No. 6) Bill receives Royal Assent.

Or, perhaps, until after Boris Johnson has had the chance to get his deal, or failed, and been forced to seek an extension.

But, in either case, the point you're missing -- and the point that I missed when I agreed to the end of October -- is that, right now, the "anti-No Deal [in October] alliance" has control of Parliament. It makes precious little sense to cede that control so quickly, especially on terms that would suit Johnson. Better, they argue, to ensure that he either can't meet his promise of leaving on October 31st at all, or that he has to prove that the Country wants that promise and trusts him (rather than, say, Farage) to deliver it.

[jno]

Boris says he doesn’t want an election except that he’s calling for one. It isn’t Corbyn’s job to get him to make sense, or to call an election himself.

[ToraToraTora]

ok so they ask for an extension, what if the EUSSR say no?

[jim360]

"so they ask for an extension, what if the EUSSR say no?"

Then the Commons will have a few days to decide what to do with that information.

[albaqwerty]

TTT, Mr Alba and I have been asking that question too.
The EU do not need to agree to an extension request, it seems that some MP's are so full of themselves that they are forgetting there is another party in these deal/no deal negotiations.

[ToraToraTora]

also if they are to agree they'll want to be told what we are going to do differently, so Boris could ask in such a way thay they are compelled to refuse.

[bodeker]

Anyone know what has happened to Tom Watson , don't see much of him lately .

[Gromit]

He didn’t bottle it like Brown did.

Corbyn realised that now is not the time, and rightly so.
A no deal brexit must be averted first.
A a six week election campaign now is the height of stupidity and a terrible waste of precious time.

No responsible Prime Minister would call a General Election now so close to the biggest day in our history since the second world war. Kissing babies while our country crashes out of the EU without a deal is complete lunacy, and fortunately Corbyn, Swinson, and the SNP chap were wise to avoid the trap.
Cummings thinks he is clever, but people are getting wise to his plots, and out thinking him.
He is destined to a sharp Brexit himself very soon when even bumbling Boris notices he has been painted into a corner, and it is Cummings’ fault.

[THECORBYLOON]

I didn't see Tom Watson on the Labour benches but he did vote to-day.

[naomi24]

Jim, //the point that I missed when I agreed to the end of October...//

Who asked you .... or am I misreading that?

[jim360]

I think you're misreading it here, N -- the bit that you're quoting is about a bet between me and TTT about whether or not the next General Election would be before October 31st. I briefly flirted with the idea of betting instead that it would be before November 30th, but settled (with TTT's consent) on the earlier date.

For reference, the thread where the bet was agreed on is https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1673399.html . On present indications, although it's virtually certain that there will be an early General Election, it won't *quite* be early enough for me to win that bet.

[Gromit]

// [Corby] Been dreaming of an election for the last 3 years //

We had an election in 2017.

Though it might feel like 3 years, Corbyn has been asking for a GE for only the last 12 months.

[jno]

True, it’s the Tories who dream of elections every couple of years.

[Gromit]

Apparently Johnson was planning a General Election while he was still contesting the Conservative Leadership Contest, earlier in the summer.