Boris Johnson's General Election hopes within reach as MPs back December poll

MPs have voted for a general election on December 12, meaning the Prime Minister is now a step closer to his wish of a national poll.

Boris Johnson's proposed general election date was approved by 438 to 20, a majority of 418.

It came after the Commons voted by 315 to 295 to reject a Labour amendment for the election to be held on Monday, December 9 - three days earlier than ministers wanted.

Now that MPs have voted, this clears the way for Parliament to be dissolved on November 6 ahead of a general election on December 12, so long as it is approved by the House of Lords.

The Early General Election Bill will now be looked over in the House of Lords before being given the Royal Assent, at which point it will become law.

The one-page Bill laid out the provisions of the Fixed-Term Parliament's Act, meaning the Government did not require a two-thirds "super majority" to get it through the Houses of Commons.

Boris is now finally within reaching a distance of the election he has been calling for since September, which saw three previous attempts voted down.