MPs are gearing up for Britain's first pre-Christmas election campaign in nearly a century
Boris Johnson says it is time for the country to "come together to get Brexit done"
Labour's Jeremy Corbyn says the snap poll gives the country a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity
Leaders clash in the longest ever Prime Minister's Questions
MPs backed the PM's 12 December election bill on Tuesday - peers are considering it today
Amber Rudd, David Lidington and Patrick McLoughlin join the ranks of MPs standing down ahead of the election
House of Commons
Parliament
Stella Creasy’s amendment, which aims to ensure non-government amendments to the bill, is approved by 312 votes to 295.
The timetable motion for the bill then passes on an oral vote.
It means all stages of the government's election bill will be debated today.
BBC researcher Daniel Kraemer says: "Stella Creasy's argument was that today's business motion doesn't include provisions to allow non-government amendments to be voted on separately.
"She thinks this is a way for the government to avoid potentially awkward add-ons to the bill.
"It is understandable why the government might want to avoid amendments because it could include amendments to extend the franchise to under-18s.
"This business motion is way for the government to avoid extra complications.
"But by doing so they have created one now."
BBC researcher Daniel Kraemer says: "This is more complicated than we might have thought it would be."
"This is usually just a straightforward process and it could be a crucial moment.
"If Stella Creasy's amendment doesn't pass then we will have to see if the business motion itself will pass."
The bill - which is only two clauses long - has now been published on Parliament's website., external
You can read it below:
Image source, UK Parliament
Mark D'Arcy
Parliamentary Correspondent
We've just seen a very brief debate in the Commons on the business of the House motion on a bill that may go through all its stages in a single gulp.
There isn't much appetite among MPs for debating the timetable.
But all the same there were quite high feelings running through that debate.
Stella Creasy's amendment would open up the bill to amendments from all quarters - not just the government.
This is quite an important moment because it decides how much influence MPs can have over the bill.
The government has opposed this.
House of Commons
Parliament
MPs are now voting on Stella Creasy's amendment, which aims to ensure non-government amendments to the bill itself can be voted on separately.
If this doesn’t pass, MPs could oppose the business motion, which could kill the bill.
House of Commons
Parliament
Labour's Stella Creasy says her amendment is about ensuring "fair play".
She accuses the government of trying to avoid "challenge".
She says that letting the motion go through without her amendment is "like letting Lance Armstrong keep his medals".
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
House of Commons
Parliament
Shadow leader of the House Valerie Vaz says the motion is "unacceptable and deliberately designed to avoid scrutiny on the government".
"I think this is another way of crashing out of the EU without a deal," she adds.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, HoCCommons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg says MPs should not be "disadvantaged" by only having a day to debate the bill, as it is "simple" and "only two clauses long".
Normally, the various stages of legislation would be debated over several days.
He adds that a single-day timetable to discuss the bill will also allow ministers to pass a budget bill for Northern Ireland before Parliament is dissolved.
He says the amendment tabled by Stella Creasy, although not an amendment designed to wreck the bill, could be a "gateway" to allow such attempts.
He says it is "standard practice" for amendments not to be taken from backbench MPs on such simple bills.
House of Commons
Parliament
John Bercow has recommended that MPs do not "exhaust" themselves in debating the business motion and the amendment to it.
He says the motion will be open to a “closure motion”, which can bring an end to debate.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
House of Commons
Parliament
The debate now kicks off with the business motion - a motion proposing a change to the order or timing of events.
Mr Bercow also announces he has selected an amendment to the business motion proposed by Labour's Stella Creasy.
Her amendment enables votes to be held on amendments to the bill (as opposed to the business motion) brought forward by opposition parties and backbenchers.
BBC political editor tweets:
A word of warning from BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, who says there are nerves in government that the Labour Party could attempt a last minute operation to scupper the election.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
House of Commons
Parliament
After hearing input from some MPs, John Bercow now responds to the question.
He says: "This is first and foremost in terms of opinion, not a matter for the chair."
He says it is a matter for those MPs running to be the next speaker.
"I have not the slightest ambition to serve longer than the close of business on Thursday," he says.
However, he adds: "If the House asks me to stay on, of course I take that extremely seriously."
Norman Smith
Assistant political editor
We don't know the exact date but we are on course for an election in the second week of December.
That carries with it particular challenges. For voters, there are issues around turnout. Particularly for older voters who may find it harder to go out in the dark and the cold. That may hit Boris Johnson, because we know older voters were more likely to back Brexit.
On the other hand, for Jeremy Corbyn, the timing means many students will have gone home back to their parents - so will they lose out on their vote back in their university towns?
And the December timing will affect the tone of the campaign because politicians like to fight upbeat, optimistic campaigns - easy to do on a bright springtime morning, much harder to do in the bleak midwinter.
House of Commons
Parliament
Before the debate starts, Speaker John Bercow is asked by one MP if he will consider staying in his position for a few more days - until the House is dissolved before the general election.
He originally said he would be stepping down on 31 October.
House of Commons
Parliament
The urgent question concludes and MPs will now begin debate of the Early Parliamentary General Election Bill.
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, HoCThe House of Commons begins to fill up ahead of the debate on the Early Parliamentary General Election Bill
Not been paying attention for the past five years? This 30 second video by the BBC's political correspondent Chris Mason will get you up to speed.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.