SWINDON politicians across the board have welcomed the news of a general election before Christmas.

Tonight MPs agreed to go to the polls on December 12. Labour wanted the vote on December 9 but this was rejected by by 438 votes to 20.

South Swindon Labour candidate Sarah Church said: “I still think a second referendum before a general election is the right thing to do however that is now looking very unlikely.

“The voters have a clear choice between an untrustworthy prime minister in Boris Johnson or a real opportunity to reverse the damage of the last nine years of Tory misrule and a final say on Brexit by voting for Labour MPs Swindon.”

North Swindon’s Labour candidate Kate Linnegar said: “I’ll be delighted to remove this callous government.

“I spent three hours yesterday with a woman who is extremely ill. Despite being unable to breathe properly, bald through medication and unable to walk far or think straight, it’s taken three attempts to get her benefits.

“She missed her hospital appointment because she had no bus fare. Similar is happening across the country.”

But Conservative Justin Tomlinson, MP for north Swindon, said Labour ‘hade finally run out of road’ in its attempt to ‘avoid the public’.

He said: “Having frustrated Brexit throughout, Labour will now have to face the electorate who will hold them to account.

"Our top priority remains, as it always has been, to get Brexit done. We’ve got to let the country move on and get Britain back on the road to a brighter future.”

Swindon South MP Robert Buckland told the Adver: “We brought forward a bill for an election in December to elect a new Parliament, get Brexit done and the country can move on.

“Parliament forced another Brexit delay which is really damaging the country.

"Further delay means we cannot focus on the NHS, the cost of living, tackling violent crime and more jobs.

“Britain needs a functioning majority government that breaks the Brexit deadlock, and moves past the confusion, indecision and arguments that have plagued the last three years.

“We want to take our positive vision to the country for what is possible for Britain once Brexit is done and we leave with our great new deal.”

The Adver ran a survey asking readers for who they will vote in a general election. After 900 votes, the Conservatives were at 34 percent, Labour at 32 per cent, Brexit Party at 20 per cent, Lib Dems 11 per cent and the Greens on two per cent.