BoJo wins Queen’s Speech vote, as all eyes now focus on Brussels’ next move on Brexit

UK PM Boris Johnson has won a landmark parliamentary vote on the Queen’s Speech in a rare victory – as attention turns to the EU and whether they will grant a lengthy Brexit extension.

The Queen’s Speech – which is essentially the UK government’s legislative program for the next parliamentary session – was approved by lawmakers in Parliament on Thursday by a margin of 16 votes (310 to 294).

Ahead of the vote, Johnson confirmed he will push for a general election to be held on December 12. It will be the third time the government has called on MPs to agree to an election. The PM announced he is ready to give MPs more time to discuss the Brexit deal with the UK if they greenlight the proposed snap poll.

Labour, the main UK opposition party led by Jeremy Corbyn, has agreed to work on a suitable timetable to get the legislation ratified. They have so far refused to play ball with Johnson over an election, however. Labour insists that they will not agree to one until a Brexit extension is granted by Brussels that safeguards against a no-deal exit from the EU.

After Johnson’s Tory government lost a key vote on his fast-track program to get his deal through the UK Parliament, European Council President Donald Tusk revealed that he would be recommending a three-month extension to the EU27 leaders to sign off.

The government’s new agenda includes an immigration bill that would ostensibly end freedom of movement for EU citizens and introduce a points-based entry system for all immigrants.

When it comes to law and order, the government proposes to increase the six-month maximum jail term for foreign offenders who return to the UK in breach of deportation orders.

It also includes a controversial plan to make people show photographic ID before being allowed to vote under a new measure to prevent voter fraud. Many critics of the proposal claim such a move would prevent people from casting their ballots.

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