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		</div><p>The Liberal Democrats and SNP are preparing to give Boris Johnson an early Christmas present – the snap December election he has been demanding.</p>
<p>The British Prime Minister used an article in the Sunday papers to accuse MPs of holding the country “hostage” by refusing a general election.</p>
<p>He is looking to pile pressure on parliamentarians to give him the two-thirds backing he needs on Monday to secure a trip to the polls.</p>
<p>But the Lib Dems and SNP, in a move that circumvents Labour’s indecision, are to reportedly set to offer the Conservative Party leader an even easier route to an election, requiring just a simple majority in the Commons.</p>
<p>If the European Union gives the UK a Brexit delay until January 31, as requested in Mr Johnson’s letter to Brussels last week, then the pro-Remain parties are prepared to give the PM the opportunity to have an election on new terms.</p>
<p>Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, confirmed he had co-signed a letter with Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson to European Council president Donald Tusk in which they sought an extension until January 31 at the earliest so that the “risk of a devastating no-deal Brexit” could be removed.</p>
<p>He added:<em> “If that meaningful extension is secured we will then work together to bring forward an election this year – but on Parliament’s terms, not on the Prime Minister’s.”</em></p>
<p>According to The Observer, the parties’ MPs have drawn up a bill that would allow Mr Johnson to secure a December election with a simple majority of MPs, by-passing the need for two-thirds support.</p>
<p>The draft law would grant an election on December 9 – three days before the PM’s proposed date and, crucially, when more students are still at university to cast their votes in Remain-supporting target swing seats.</p>
<p>The move indicates a split between opposition leaders on whether to go for a December campaign, with Labour putting off their decision on how to vote on Monday.</p>
<p>Leader Jeremy Corbyn said he wanted to wait until EU ambassadors had finalised their decision, expected on Monday or Tuesday, over the length of an extension for Article 50.</p>
<p>Mr Corbyn, speaking on a campaign visit to Motherwell, North Lanarkshire on Saturday, said: <em>“We will be very happy to fight an election once all vestiges of a no-deal exit from the EU have been taken off the table.”</em></p>
<p>But the Government reiterated it had no intention of ruling out a cliff-edge divorce, with Business Minister Kwasi Kwarteng telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: <em>“No-deal can’t be taken off the table.”</em></p>
<p>The PM ramped up the rhetoric on Sunday as he looks to encourage MPs to grant him a trip to the polls when Parliament returns on Monday.</p>
<p>He wants an election on December 12 but requires two-thirds of MPs — 434 out of 650 — to back the move under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act.</p>
<p>The Tory leader made a pitch for a snap pre-Christmas election after MPs passed his Withdrawal Agreement Bill through its second reading but then declined to sign off on the high-speed three-day timetable, making it near impossible for him honour his “do or die” pledge of taking the UK out of the European Union on October 31.</p>
<p>Turning up the heat on MPs, Mr Johnson said the current Parliament had “run its course” and “cannot hold the country hostage any longer”.</p>
<p>He made the comments at the same time as the Archbishop of Canterbury rebuked him over stoking Brexit divisions.</p>
<p>The Most Reverend Justin Welby told The Sunday Times he had been “shocked” by the PM’s “humbug” remark in response to MPs’ death threat fears.</p>
<p><em>“In a time of deep uncertainty, a much smaller amount of petrol is a much more dangerous thing,”</em> said the Church of England’s most senior cleric.</p>
<p>The desire for a snap election in Downing Street will have likely been amplified after officials read fresh polling from Opinium, putting the Tories 16 points clear of Labour.</p>
<p>It predicts the Tories would take 40% of the vote, Labour 24% and the Lib Dems and Brexit Party following on with 15 and 10 points respectively.</p>
<p>Mr Johnson also enjoys twice as much public support compared to Mr Corbyn, according to the findings.</p>
<p>Labour is said to be undergoing a pre-election power struggle as it formulates its campaign strategy.</p>
<p>According to The Sunday Times, newly-appointed strategist Karie Murphy wants a “99% strategy” which would see Mr Corbyn travel the length and breadth of the country fighting for seats everywhere – but shadow chancellor John McDonnell fears Labour’s approach is not professional enough.</p>
<p>A PR schedule seen by the paper suggests Labour would mention Brexit only twice in the event of a 27-day campaign, with the focus on domestic priorities, including announcing the “extension of free dental care”.</p>
<p>A spokesman for Labour said: <em>“We will run the most ambitious, confident, people-powered campaign.”</em></p>
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