General election: Pre-Christmas vote moves closer as Lib Dems set to compromise over date

Chuka Umunna rules out 12 December poll but drops insistence on 9 December – hinting that a day inbetween would be acceptable

A pre-Christmas general election has moved another significant step closer after the Liberal Democrats said they would compromise with Boris Johnson over the date.

Jo Swinson’s party had insisted the poll must be held on 9 December – to ensure students can vote easily – and rejected the prime minister’s push for it to be three days later.

But Chuka Umunna, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, said the party would now consider an election date “earlier in the week” – hinting that 10 or 11 December would be acceptable.

“We will see what else they come forward with,” he said, ahead of the prime minister publishing his election bill early on Tuesday, adding: “We have got to break the gridlock.”

However, the Scottish National Party – who, with the Lib Dems, first proposed a one-line bill for a December poll – demanded to see the legislation put forward before opening the door to compromise.

The SNP is also keen to push amendments to allow the 3 million-plus EU citizens resident in the UK to vote – which could significantly influence the result – as well as 16- and 17-year-olds.

Support from only the 19 Lib Dem MPs might not be enough to pass the election bill. It is due to be rammed through all its Commons stages in just six hours and must become law by Thursday to allow a 9 December poll.

Asked about the conflict over the date, Mr Umunna said: “It cannot be the 12th”, warning that would allow Mr Johnson to try again to force through his withdrawal agreement bill.

But Brandon Lewis, the security minister, said the Commons must sit into next week to pass necessary legislation, insisting: “That means 12 December is the first date that you can have a general election.”

However, his statement was immediately contradicted by a No 10 source, who suggested the government would accept an election on 11 December.

Meanwhile, Philip Hammond, the former Conservative chancellor, launched a furious attack on “entryism” by hard Brexit supporters, such as Dominic Cummings, driving Downing Street’s strategy.

He said it was now the government “blocking Brexit” by abandoning its own withdrawal bill, when it could have passed with amendments.

And he warned an election would be used to drive out moderate ex-Tories such as himself, who are currently sitting as independents after blocking a no-deal Brexit.

No 10 wanted to “get rid of a cohort of MPs that it regards as not robust enough on this issue and to replace them with hardliners”, Mr Hammond told Radio 4.

“This is a piece of blatant entryism to change what the Conservative party is about,” he warned.

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