Watch: Sadiq Khan Slammed the Lack of Elections… Just Hours Before Corbyn Blocked an Election

Oliver JJ Lane

London Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan apparently hadn’t received the day’s talking points from Labour head office Wednesday, as he expressed his disappointment at there not having been a general election recently just hours before Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sensationally blocked one from taking place.

Speaking to a crowd of die-hard anti-Brexit campaigners outside the Palace of Westminster Wednesday afternoon, the London’s Mayor laid into Boris Johnson for not having faced the ballot box since becoming Prime Minister. These comments followed the standard Labour playbook, which naturally for a party of opposition sees its members agitate for an early general election, the best and most direct means for that party to take control of the country.

Mr Khan told the crowd: “…No one voted for Boris Johnson to be our Prime Minister. No one voted for someone to disrespect the office of Prime Minister, and display such disregard for our democratic values…  this goes beyond remain or leave. This is about defending our democracy.”

These comments chimed with hundreds of others made by his party leader Jeremy Corbyn over the past two years, as he repeatedly told his supporters and the country that his party was ready for, and wanted a general election as soon as possible. Indeed, as recently as Monday Mr Corbyn wrote: “We are ready for a General Election, which will be a once in a generation chance for a real change of direction for our country.”

Yet the Labour leader was perhaps not as ready as he has persistently and strongly insisted, as just hours after Sadiq Khan goaded Boris Johnson over having never faced the electorate, the Prime Minister attempted to trigger a general election, which would put him and the rest of Parliament before the British people for ratification or dismissal.

My Corbyn blocked the election, claiming he could not permit an election which could lead to Britain leaving the European Union — in effect, saying he refused to have a vote where the British people might vote in a way he’d disagree with.

Boris Johnson will attempt to bring a vote to confirm a fresh national election on Monday, but it is not clear whether the Labour leader and his MPs will have dropped their objections, and wish to recover from the embarrassment of being the first opposition in British democratic history to decline an election when offered one.

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