General Election 2019: Legislation for December election clears first hurdle

The UK is on course for a December general election after legislation for a snap poll cleared its first parliamentary hurdle unopposed.

MPs backed the Early Parliamentary General Election Bill at second reading without a vote, giving provisional approval for an election that the government wants to hold on 12 December.

Opposition amendments calling for the franchise to be extended so that 16 and 17 year-olds and European citizens could vote were not selected by the deputy Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle, removing the risk that the early election bid could collapse.

Downing Street had threatened to withdraw its support if the amendments were passed.

MPs backed the Early Parliamentary General Election Bill at second reading without a vote, giving provisional approval for an election that the government wants to hold on 12 December.

MPs are now considering two amendments that were selected - one from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn calling for the date of the election to be moved to 9 December, and another from backbencher Ian Murray setting it as 7 May 2020.

Votes on the amendments and at third reading - the final Commons stage before the legislation moves to the Lords - are expected after 8pm.