Downing Street today rejected a call by former Tory leader Lord Hague for an early general election to enhance Theresa May’s ability to push through a Brexit deal.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said she believed an early election was “not in the interests of the country” and that there was no public desire to go to the polls again.
“No, the Prime Minister has been very clear and consistent on her postilion on an early election,” said a No 10 official. “She does not think there should be one - and it is not in the interests of the country to have one. She is focused on delivering the Government’s agenda.”
Mr Hague argued that a general election victory “would strengthen the Government’s hand at home and abroad”. He said a mandate would improve her position in negotiations with other EU leaders, and empower her to face down opponents of Brexit in the House of Lords.
He used his weekly Daily Telegraph article to argue that Mrs May should abolish the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, which currently puts in law that the next election will be in 2020 unless the Government collapses.
Mr Hague predicted the Tories would crush a Labour in a snap poll - which was angrily denied by a piqued Jeremy Corbyn. “We are very confident of the support we can get in order to win an election,” Mr Corbyn told the BBC.
“Don’t underestimate the support there is for the Labour Party, don’t underestimate the anger there is out there at the levels of inequality and injustice in our society.”
Pressed on whether he was truly confident following polls showing Labour trailing 40 per cent to 24 per cent behind the Conservatives, Mr Corbyn retorted: “How many times do I have to tell you? We are taking our case out there to win because we believe we can win.”
Senior Tories are divided on the risks of an early election. Proponents say Mrs May would win a landslide if she went against Mr Corbyn, but could be less strong by 2020. They also say she needs a full five-year term to negotiate Brexit and cope with the stresses of withdrawal before seeking her next re-election.
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However, opponents point to the referendum and the triumph of Donald Trump as evidence that voters might deliver another shock result or leave the country in limbo.
Mr Hague said he had “no doubt” Mrs May would get a “decisive” majority in the Commons, and urged: “It is time to question whether a fixed parliamentary term is in the interests of the country as we withdraw from the European Union.”
