Brexit on hold as December general election backed

By Rob Picheta and Ivana Kottasová, CNN

Updated 7:43 a.m. ET, October 30, 2019
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4:50 p.m. ET, October 29, 2019

We're wrapping up our live coverage

That's it for this evening. Read the full story here.

4:49 p.m. ET, October 29, 2019

And the campaign starts NOW

With the election locked in, the main parties are kicking off their election campaigns.

Boris Johnson received a rapturous reception as he arrived at a meeting of the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee after his bid for an early general election cleared the Commons, according to PA news agency. MPs cheered and banged the table as he arrived for the meeting in Parliament.

Meanwhile on Twitter, the Labour Party called the election “a once-in-a-generation chance to rebuild and transform our country.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reacted by posting a campaign video:

Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson said the election will "decide the future of our country for generations. It is our best chance to elect a government to stop Brexit."

She added:

The Liberal Democrats are the strongest party of Remain and will be standing on a manifesto to stop Brexit by revoking Article 50. 
This country deserves better than Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, and I am excited to take our positive, pro-European, liberal vision to the country as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Prime Minister.
4:45 p.m. ET, October 29, 2019

Breaking: Parliament will be dissolved next Wednesday

From CNN's Vasco Cotovio in London

The British Parliament will be dissolved next Wednesday, the leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg said told the house this evening.

4:41 p.m. ET, October 29, 2019

December vote will be third UK general election in four years

The December 12 poll -- backed this evening by MPs -- will be the third time in four years that the country will hold a general election.

In fact, British voters have had their say in some sort of election every single year for the past five years:

  • May 2019: European Parliament election (some parts of the UK also held local council elections)
  • May 2018: Local council elections in England
  • June 2017: General election
  • June 2016: Brexit referendum
  • May 2015: General election
  • September 2014: Scottish independence referendum

4:31 p.m. ET, October 29, 2019

Labour's Jess Phillips has a point

A vote on Thursday, December 12 means the UK will get election results on Friday, December 13.

4:23 p.m. ET, October 29, 2019

BREAKING: MPs approve *December 12* election

Lawmakers in the House of Commons have voted to hold a snap poll on Thursday, 12 December in an attempt to break the political impasse over Brexit.

It must now go to the House of Lords to be signed off.

4:08 p.m. ET, October 29, 2019

Happening now: MPs are voting on holding an early election

Lawmakers in the House of Commons are now voting on the main motion of holding a snap election on December 12.

Results are expected in about 15 minutes.

4:09 p.m. ET, October 29, 2019

BREAKING: MPs reject Labour's proposed election date

Lawmakers rejected the Labour Party's amendment to move the date to Monday, December 9.

It was defeated by 315 votes to 295.

The government favors December 12.

3:57 p.m. ET, October 29, 2019

While we wait for the results ...

... here's a picture from the 1923 poll, the last time a UK general election happened in December.

Labour Party candidate Henry Gosling supervises a poster campaign during the election.
Labour Party candidate Henry Gosling supervises a poster campaign during the election. Photo: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images