General Election 2019: Legislation for December election clears first hurdle
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.
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Hide AdDowning Street had threatened to withdraw its support if the amendments were passed.


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.