The British prime minister is going to put a motion to MPs next week proposing to hold a general election in December.
Boris Johnson has previously indicated that is what he would do if the European Union grants the UK another Brexit extension.
While that has yet to be confirmed, Mr Johnson has confirmed plans for a pre-Christmas election this afternoon - saying it would be a condition for granting more time for MPs to debate the new Brexit deal.
There are different ways for the British government to call an election, but one means he would need two thirds of the Commons to back us going to the polls.
In a letter to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn today, Mr Johnson said parliament will vote next week on whether to hold an election on December 12th - assuming the EU agrees to a Brexit extension beyond next week.
He also claimed the government would make all possible time available to pass the withdrawal agreement in the current parliament before it dissolves for an election - saying it would otherwise need to be resolved by the next parliament.
Mr Johnson suggested: "If I win a majority in this election, we will then ratify the great new deal that I have negotiated, get Brexit done in January and the country will move on.
"If you win a majority, then you will, I assum e, implement your policy: that is, you will ask for another delay after 31 January 2020 to give you the time both to negotiate a new deal and then have a referendum, in which you may or may not campaign for your own deal."
I have written to Jeremy Corbyn: this Parliament must get Brexit done now or a NEW Parliament must get Brexit done so the country can move on pic.twitter.com/PekfFRsR9F
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 24, 2019
Opposition parties have expressed their eagerness for an election, but have blocked recent efforts to hold one as part of their efforts to avoid a no-deal Brexit on October 31st.
The latest push for an election comes after Mr Johnson 'paused' the legislation to pass his new Brexit deal earlier this week.
His government had hoped to push the bill through this week - and there was a significant boost for the prime minister when a majority of MPs approved moving the bill to a second reading on Tuesday.
However, that was swiftly followed by another vote in which MPs rejected the government's three-day timetable, with opposition MPs insisting more time was necessary to scrutinise the lengthy piece of legislation.
European Council President Donald Tusk has said he will recommend European leaders accept the UK's request for an extension to the current Brexit deadline of October 31st - with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also voicing his support for an extension.
