What is the timeline for an early general election?

Stripped of his parliamentary majority and facing pressure over Brexit, the PM knows an election is inevitable, writes Lizzy Buchan

Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street (PA)

With Brexit talks on the brink of collapse and relations between political parties sinking to new lows, the talk in Westminster keeps returning to an early election.

Boris Johnson wants one but the opposition does not – or at least not yet – in a Brexit-skewed reversal of the normal order of things.

Stripped of his parliamentary majority and facing pressure on all sides over his Brexit plans, the prime minister has tried several times to secure a snap poll.

But opposition MPs, who are divided on everything except their hatred of no deal, have refused to allow an election until the threat of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October has been removed.

Time is running out for Johnson to hammer out a deal that can be approved at a critical European Council summit on 17-18 October. If he fails, he will be forced by law to request an extension from the EU on 19 October.

At this point, things could start to move very quickly. It is unclear what Johnson intends to do but an election seems a likely outcome of whatever he decides.

Under the Fixed Terms Parliament Act, the government can call an early election but must it secure the support of two thirds of MPs.

An election can also be secured through a vote of no-confidence in the government, either brought by the leader of the opposition or by the government itself.

This process is a bit more tricky, as the act allows for a 14-day period to form a new government – although this has never been tested.

The earliest date for a poll is late November – possibly 28 November – as parliament has to be dissolved for 25 working days before a general election.

At this point, politicians stop being MPs and dedicate their attention to campaigning to be re-elected.

Parliament will be suspended until Monday, 14 October for a Queen’s Speech, where the monarch will read out the government’s new legislative programme.

MPs traditionally debate the contents for several days and hold a vote, which would push the date of dissolution into the week of 21 October.

There could be some delay if the EU has to call an emergency summit to approve an extension.

Over in Brussels, the general wisdom appears to be that an extension is likely to be discussed at the approaching summit.

However there is uncertainty about what would happen if the UK has not requested a delay by that point.

Some MPs may want to wait until after the Halloween Brexit deadline before triggering an election, to ensure that No 10 has not found a clever way to avoid asking for a delay.

If so, MPs would likely table a no-confidence vote on the next sitting day, which is Monday, 4 November, leaving the government to plan for a polling day around 12 December.

Or MPs could wait until after Christmas to trigger an election, in a bid to avoid campaigning throughout the festive period.

Elections are rarely held during the winter months as turnout tends to be lower. The last election to be held in November was in 1935 and the last December poll was held in 1923.