Majority of Welsh MPs reject general election for second time

MPs rejected the UK government's second call for a general election

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's call for an early general election has been rejected for a second time, with most Welsh MPs failing to back it.

His motion requesting a snap poll failed to win support from the two-thirds of MPs needed.

Opposition MPs want to see anti-no deal Brexit legislation implemented before an election is called.

The vote was held before the controversial five-week prorogation of Parliament took hold.

In all, 293 MPs voted for the prime minister's motion, versus 46 against.

It was opposed by Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru, among others.

The Conservative MP for Monmouth David Davies said on Twitter: "Opposition MPs have just this minute voted against holding an election and are now complaining about a 'lack of democracy'."

Following the vote Labour and Plaid Cymru MPs refused to take part in the prorogation ceremony in the House of Lords, in dramatic scenes where Commons Speaker John Bercow made clear his opposition to the suspension of business.

Plaid Cymru's Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts said parliamentary democracy was being "deliberately stalled" by prorogation.

As the government "teeters between avoiding and evading the law, this is neither normal nor honourable", she said.

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Earlier Mr Davies said opposition MPs opposed to a general election had feared people would vote for Brexit-supporting parties.

Labour's Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "The prorogation of Parliament should not be happening [on Tuesday] morning. We should be sitting right up to 31 October to scrutinise the government at this critical time for the future of our country."

MPs rejected Prime Minister Boris Johnson's first request for an election last week.

Most Welsh MPs did not take part in the second vote on an election but seven from Labour, three from Plaid Cymru and Welsh Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds voted against.

Six Welsh Conservative MPs voted for an election. Plaid's Ben Lake was a teller for the noes.

Boris Johnson had asked MPs for a general election for a second time

Earlier on Monday Wales' 28 Labour MPs, four Plaid Cymru members, independent MP Guto Bebb and the Welsh Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds voted for all documents relating to Operation Yellowhammer, the government's no-deal contingency plan, to be released.

Six Welsh Tories voted with their government against the request.

During the debate on Operation Yellowhammer Stephen Doughty, Cardiff South and Penarth Labour MP, said the UK government could not be trusted.

"The Yellowhammer documents should be made public so that we all know the true risk to this country of a no-deal Brexit," he said.

Minister Michael Gove, who is in charge of no-deal preparations, said he had given evidence to the EU select committee on Yellowhammer and he hoped "those assurances were sufficient".

The UK government has said it is seeking a deal - Boris Johnson earlier said a no deal exit would be a "failure of statecraft".

Earlier Plaid Cymru's Liz Saville Roberts called for the prime minister to be impeached if Mr Johnson ignores the Brexit law, which has been given royal assent.

The law mandates the prime minister to request an extension to Brexit from the European Union, aiming to prevent a no-deal scenario on the current exit date of 31 October.