UK PM Johnson on course to win his fight for a pre-Christmas general election - The Sun

The Sun writes that opposition leader, Corbyn, "chickened out of facing the voters once again on Monday night by trying to scupper the PM’s bid for a December 12 election," in the latest twist in the Brexit saga. 

Key notes from the article

• Corbyn ordered his MPs to abstain on a vital vote — denying the two-thirds Commons majority Boris Johnson needed to trigger the pre-Christmas poll.
• On Tuesday the PM will try again for December 12, tabling a one-line Bill that requires a simple majority — but which needs SNP or Lib Dem votes to succeed.
• But Johnson looks on course to win his fight for a pre-Christmas general election, after a hard fought consensus slowly emerged for a polling day in the second week of December, with Corbyn forced to admit an early poll “is necessary”.
• Mr Johnson told MPs he would try again tomorrow to force a nationwide poll, using a different route in the shape of a short bill.
• Boris insisted: “We will not allow this paralysis to continue. One way or another we must proceed straight to an election”.
• The EU yesterday confirmed a ‘flextension’ of Article 50 for another three months until January 31, or if a deal can be passed before then.
• MPs voted 299 to 70 in favour of the Prime Minister’s Commons attempt to go to the country on December 12. But he needed the support of two-thirds of MPs - 434 - for it to be approved.
• Downing Street argued that they were left with no choice but to pull the Brexit bill, after the PM gave Labour Brexiteers and Tory rebels who voted down the timetable for it last week an ultimatum of 6pm tonight to agree a new one, but they failed to.
• In a U-turn, Mr Corbyn told the Commons he could back a December election as long as it the date was fixed in law and it came before the university holidays so students could vote. The Labour boss said he will “consider carefully any legislation proposed that locks in the date”.

FX implications: 

• GBP/USD awaits Brexit developments on key data week ahead