Britain looks set to go to the polls in December after Jeremy Corbyn revealed that the Labour Party will support prime minister Boris Johnson's bid for an early General Election.

MPs rejected a move under the Fixed Term Parliament Act for a December 12 Election last night, with Labour abstaining to ensure that the two-thirds majority vote under that act wasn't met.

Stroud MP David Drew rebelled against the party line and voted against the motion for an election, while all five of the Gloucestershire Conservative MPs voted for the motion.

It failed because only 299 MPs voted for the election - significantly short of the 434 of the 650 members who need to trigger a poll under the terms of the FTPA.

Today's Early Parliamentary General Election Act 2019 will be allowed to pass with a straight majority of MPs backing - but it would be open to amending by MPs.

That could lead to a lengthy debate about the proposed date and any proposed amendments before the final vote at some time this afternoon.

One of the likely amendments would be to allow 16-18-year-olds to allow to vote for the first time.

Any amendments to the short bill will be voted upon first with a straight majority of MPs votes allowing it to be added to the legislation which would be voted on for a final time this evening.

The Bill introduced by the Government puts the date down as Thursday, December 12 - but there are calls for other days during that week to be considered.

Either way, following today's announced by Jeremy Corbyn, it looks like it's now only a case of when we will go to the polls, not if.

The Labour position has changed since yesterday as the Opposition now feel that any chance of a No Deal Brexit has been removed by Boris Johnson agreeing to the EU's offer of a Brexit 'flextention'.

That moves Brexit from October 31 - Thursday - to January 31, or whenever a Withdrawal Act Bill on Johnson's Brexit Deal agreed with the EU is passed.

By holding a General Election, Johnson hopes to earn a Parliamentary Majority - one that was lost by Theresa May in 2017, following David Cameron's surprise victory in 2015.

It will mean that for the fourth time in five years, Britain will be going to the polls for either an election or referendum.

Elections are usually held in the lighter spring or summer months to make it easier for people to get to polling stations.

The last December election was called in 1923, also by a Conservative Government as Stanley Baldwin, despite having a large parliamentary majority, wanted to earn a mandate from the people.

Baldwin had replaced Bonar Law in May of that year after he had fallen ill and his bid to earn that mandate from the people failed as the Tories lost their majority.

Despite having the most seats at 258, the Conservative King's Speech was voted down by the 191 Labour and 158 Liberal MPs and the Labour party formed its first ever Government under Ramsay MacDonald.

Today's Commons sitting on the Early Parliamentary General Election Act 2019 will see all stages of the Bill debated and voted upon in one six-hour sitting from 1.30pm.