Boris Johnson considers scrapping vote to trigger pre-Christmas general election as defeat looms

Boris Johnson is considering whether to scrap Monday’s vote to trigger a pre-Christmas general election, after fresh opposition at home and abroad threatened an almost-certain defeat.

The latest Brexit impasse means the UK will come within as little as 48 hours of crashing out of the EU on Halloween before the issue of an Article 50 extension is settled – with Emmanuel Macron still holding out.

Meanwhile, at Westminster, MPs are weighing up an extraordinary plan to bring the prime minister’s “paused” Brexit deal themselves, after he refused to do so.

Even with MPs poised to deny him his election, the prime minister taunted Jeremy Corbyn to “man up” and go to the polls on 12 December.

But the bravado did little to disguise his Mr Johnson’s weakness, as Labour suggested “further legislation” was needed to prevent a no-deal Brexit before it would sanction a snap poll.

A two-thirds majority is needed in the Commons to overturn the fixed term parliaments act, stipulating no election before May 2022 – meaning Labour has an effective veto.

Meanwhile, the EU delayed a decision on the length of an acceptable Brexit delay, with France insisting the UK must decide what it wants first.

At a meeting of EU diplomats, the French ambassador, alone, argued against the three-month delay – until 31 January – requested under the Benn Act, passed by anti-no-deal MPs.

A decision on whether to “go short to push for ratification, or long to accommodate a general election”, as France put it, is now not expected until Tuesday, after the scheduled vote at Westminster.

That would guarantee that opposition parties block a pre-Christmas election, as they have insisted the risk of a crash-out must be removed first.

Asked if the vote would go ahead in those circumstances, the prime minister’s spokesman could not guarantee it would, saying: “Let’s see where we get to by Monday morning.”

Mr Johnson wants a short extension – to force Mr Corbyn’s hand on the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, with the renewed threat of a no deal – but 31 January still seems most likely.

He has offered MPs until 6 November for further scrutiny of the bill, but only if they bow to his pressure for the election on 12 December.

Labour has offered agreement on a timetable of a few weeks for full scrutiny – the length of time made available for previous EU treaties – but the prime minister has refused and will shelve the bill instead.

In those circumstances, some backbench MPs want to again seize control of the Commons order paper, possibly to table the Withdrawal Agreement Bill themselves.

It would embarrass the prime minister, but also allow amendments to be tabled on keeping the UK in a customs union and for a Final Say referendum on the deal.

However, other MPs are sceptical – pointing out that only the government can sanction the money resolution needed to take the bill forward.