A general election to push Brexit forward

Prime Minister Boris Johnson challenged British lawmakers to approve a general election on Dec. 12 in a bid to break through the political paralysis and throw Brexit back to voters. He is expected to bring it before Parliament on Monday.

The proposal would require the backing of two-thirds of lawmakers, meaning he needs the support of the opposition Labour Party, which has reacted coolly to the prospect of a general election without first taking the option of a no-deal Brexit off the table. But that could happen as soon as today, if the E.U. agrees to Mr. Johnson’s request to extend the Brexit deadline to Jan. 31.

Strategy: Mr. Johnson is offering the opposition a quid pro quo: more time to debate, in exchange for the general election. He’s also framing the idea as a moral one — saying that it is what the people of Britain long ago voted for.

What’s next: Elections take five weeks, so campaigning needs to start almost immediately to avoid a run-in with the Christmas season (which poses challenges for venue-booking, weather and voter turnout).