The snap election is on. MPs have voted by 522 votes to 13 to back the government motion calling for an early general election on June 8. With a comfortable majority of 509, the votes far exceed the two-thirds majority required to overturn the Fixed Terms Parliaments Act.
Of the 13 MPs who voted against the motion, nine are Labour MPs — including Clive Lewis, a former Corbynite who has been tipped as a leadership contender:
Ronnie Campbell
Ann Clwyd
Paul Farrelly
Jim Fitzpatrick
Clive Lewis
Fiona Mactaggart
Liz McInnes
Dennis Skinner
Graham Stringer
It’s thought that 46 Labour MPs chose to abstain from the vote. This shows the reluctance many in the party harbour over going into an early election they know could be disastrous for the party.
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