Boris Johnson to repeal David Cameron’s ‘catastrophic’ law that almost halted Brexit – Express

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will reclaim powers to trigger an early election. The Government has not had full control over the timing of an election for a decade, since the Cameron-Clegg coalition passed the FTPA in 2011. Under the Act, a general election is scheduled for the first Thursday in May of the fifth year after the previous vote, although there are situations where an election can be called earlier.

The two most important scenarios where a general election can be earlier are a vote of no confidence in the Government, and a vote of two-thirds of the House of Commons.

Before the Act was passed, the power to determine whether a general election should be held early was exercised by the Prime Minister.

The Act transferred this power to Parliament.

However, in today's Queen's Speech, Her Majesty announced the repealing of the legislation.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour, Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg said: "I am glad to say the FTPA will be repealed.

"That's already been drafted and that is something we will be looking at in the next session.

"It will restore the status quo ante.

"It will ensure we have the constitution acting properly and don't have the absurd shenanigans we had in 2019."

The problems of the Act were indeed highlighted two years ago when Parliament became completely deadlocked over Brexit.

Mr Johnson demanded an election, saying it was the only way to break the impasse, but was unable to secure enough MP votes.

Eventually a shift in the Scottish National Party (SNP) allowed him to go to the country, and he scored a huge 80-strong majority in December 2019.

Famous constitutional historian and Brexiteer David Starkey strongly criticised the Act in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk.

He said back in 2019: "You should have a general election, and the fact we are not having one is by another catastrophic modification of our constitution.

"The FTPA.

"What is striking about this is that there was something absolutely similar in 1641, which is the thing that enables the long Parliament to sit right through the Civil War and turn it into the Rump Parliament.

"Until finally it is driven out by the military dictator Oliver Cromwell at the point of a pike.

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"That is what happens to Parliaments that sit too long and the FTPA has been an unmitigated catastrophe."

Mr Starkey explained: "It has locked us into this preposterous Parliament which can agree on nothing.

"Remember, the only thing Parliament has been able to agree on is doing nothing.

"It has never been able to agree to do anything and the atmosphere in the country is one of increasing outrage at this absolute impasse, brought about by this preposterous piece of legislation."

The Brexiteer argued that despite how rotten Theresa May's deal was, if the country had had the old structure of Parliament, the former Prime Minister could have made the vote in favour of her agreement with the EU a matter of confidence.

He added: "She couldn't because of the Fixed-term Parliament Act.

"Who was responsible?

"The liberal not not very democratic party."

Constitutional historian Vernon Bogdanor also spoke at length to Express.co.uk about the Act.

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The Professor argued that by refusing a snap election before October 31, 2019, the British people were essentially denied the opportunity of deciding whether or not they wanted Britain to leave the EU on Halloween.

He noted: "The Conservatives were right in their 2017 manifesto to propose repeal of the Act.

"For, in the world of multi-party politics and possible hung parliaments which we may be entering, dissolution is a vital safeguard against inter-party manoeuvrings and shenanigans.

Far from being a threat to democracy, dissolution is an essential weapon for the Government if the rights of voters are to be protected."

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Boris Johnson to repeal David Cameron's 'catastrophic' law that almost halted Brexit - Express