What time is the Brexit vote tonight? How could a UK general election happen this year? All you need to know

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Boris Johnson tonight tabled a motion for an early UK general election after legislation to block a no-deal Brexit cleared the Commons.

Here we outline what is expected to happen next…

What have MPs debated today?

The legislation passed this evening, led by the Labour MP and Brexit Select Committee chairman Hilary Benn and Tory former Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt, called for a delay to Brexit unless there is a deal or Parliament explicitly backs leaving the EU without one by October 19.

The European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill 2019 also had the support of former Cabinet ministers Philip Hammond and David Gauke, a sign of how the rebel ranks have been bolstered following the change in prime minister.

Boris Johnson addresses the Commons suffering a defeat in the crunch Brexit vote
AP

Under the terms of the Bill, the Government must ask the European Union for a delay to Brexit until January 31, 2020 if no agreement has been reached and MPs have not agreed to a no-deal exit.

If the European Council proposes an extension to a different date then the Prime Minister must accept that extension within two days, unless the House of Commons rejects it.

What will happen then?

For the Bill to become law, it must clear all stages in the Commons before heading to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

The process usually takes weeks, but it could be hurried through in as little as three days to be passed before Parliament is prorogued next week.

However this will not be straightforward: MPs could defeat the Bill, or peers could attempt to block its passage by talking it out.

What time are MPs voting tonight?

MPs have voted to seize control of the Commons agenda today
VIA REUTERS

A government motion on holding a general election is set to be tabled at around 9.30pm, although this is liable to change.

MPs would then be asked to vote on the motion calling for an early general election, which will take place at around 10.30pm.

Will there be an election?

Boris Johnson said he would seek to trigger a snap general election after losing the vote.

The motion would require the support of two-thirds of MPs under the provisions of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, but Labour indicated that they would not support the move until chances of a no-deal Brexit were taken off the table.

While Labour's refusal to back it would limit the likelihood of Mr Johnson's motion succeeding, other avenues remain open to the Prime Minister to push for a poll - including triggering a confidence motion in his own Government.

Are there other ways the PM's plans to prorogue could be thwarted?

The PM faces threats from many angles, with legal challenges coming in courts across the UK.

A cross-party group of MPs and peers who want to block Parliament's suspension had a hearing of their application in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

On Thursday, the High Court will consider a judicial review request from Gina Miller, the businesswoman who successfully challenged the Government over the triggering of the Article 50 process to start the Brexit countdown. She, too, wants to challenge Mr Johnson's suspension of Parliament.

And in Belfast, a judicial review against the Government by a campaigner arguing that no-deal could jeopardise the Northern Ireland peace process is scheduled for September 16.

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