Downing Street dismisses Hague's call for early election

Downing Street has dismissed calls by former foreign secretary William Hague for an early general election.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, the Conservative peer said the government should should repeal the Fixed-term Parliament Act and hold a snap general election before 2020, as it would "would strengthen the government's hand at home and abroad" to deal with Brexit.

He said: “We have a new prime minister and Cabinet facing the most complex challenges of modern times: Brexit negotiations, the Trump administration, the threat from Scottish nationalists, and many other issues.

“There is no doubt that they would be in a stronger position to take the country through these challenges successfully if they had a large and decisive majority in the Commons and a new full term ahead of them.”

However, Number 10 ruled out an early election before May 2020 in accordance to the Fixed-term Parliament act which was passed by the coalition government. It can only be overturned with a two-thirds of majority in the House of Commons.

A spokesperson for the PM said May "has no intentions" of calling an early election.

Lord Hague argued that calling an election would “strengthen the government’s hand at home and abroad” and would “resolve a clash between ministers and parliament over the exit terms from the EU, it would require all parties to say what they would do if they won, rather than just oppose the agreement”.

He added that not calling one could be a risk as Parliament could overturn Prime minister Theresa May’s Brexit plans or the final deal reached with Brussels.

"Any deal is bound to be full of compromises which one group or another in Parliament finds difficult to stomach. As British law needs to be amended countless times to take account of leaving the EU treaties, the government could face many close votes, concessions or defeats as it tries to implement Brexit.

"That prospect will embolden the EU negotiators, and makes an agreement that is good for the UK harder to achieve. It could also lead to a situation where the prime minister faces a stand-off with Parliament over a deal that will have taken two years to negotiate and is nearly impossible to change."

According to the latest Guardian/ICM opinion poll, the Conservatives have a 16 point lead over Labour. It had the Conservatives at 44% unchanged from two weeks ago, Labour at 28% (up two), Ukip at 11% (down two), Liberal Democrats unchanged at 8% and the Green party at 5% (up one).

Elsewhere, the House of Lords continued to debate the Article 50 bill to trigger the clause, which starts formal negotiations with the EU, by the end of the month. Peers will vote on Tuesday on whether Parliament should have a “meaningful vote” on the final Brexit deal, which is expected to pass.