Boris Johnson vows to end Brexit 'groundhoggery' as he mounts fresh election attack on Jeremy Corbyn
3 min read
Boris Johnson will promise to end the UK's Brexit "groundhoggery" and accuse those pushing for a second referendum of "political self-obsession and onanism".
In his first stump speech of the general election campaign, the Prime Minister will reiterate Conservative pledges to boost NHS spending and cut crime - while hitting out at the prospect of a coalition between Labour and the SNP leading to new referendums on Brexit and Scottish independence.
Speaking in the West Midlands later, the Tory leader will say: "The UK is admired and respected around the world but people are baffled by our debate on Brexit and they cannot understand how this great country can squander so much time and energy on this question and how we can be so hesitant about our future.
"If we can get a working majority, we can get Parliament working for you, we can get out of the rut. We can end the groundhoggery of Brexit."
The Prime Minister will meanwhile pitch the election as an "historic choice", arguing that voters "can either move forwards with policies that will deliver years of growth and prosperity" or let Britain "disappear into an intellectual cul-de-sac of far left Corbynism".
"We can honour the wishes of the people, or else we can waste more time, at the cost of a billion pounds per month, and have two more referendums, one on Scotland and one on the EU – an expense of spirit and a waste of shame, more political self-obsession and onanism," he will add.
The PM's use of the word 'onanism' - another term for masturbation - has already raised eyebrows, with a Labour source telling The Independent: "We’re not bothered by Johnson’s obscure, crude insults because we’ve got our eyes on the prize - real change for the many not the few."
In a further attack on his Labour opponent, Mr Johnson is expected to say: "This is why I urge everybody undecided how to vote – imagine waking up on Friday 13 December after the election to find the Corbyn-Sturgeon coalition in Downing Street.
"They will ruin 2020 with two referendums, they will ruin the economy with out-of-control debt, they will put taxes up for everyone and, instead of an Australian points system, we’ll have uncontrolled and unlimited immigration."
POLL BOOST
The Prime Minister's speech, in which he will also vow to unleash a "clean energy revolution" after Britain leaves the EU, comes as a YouGov poll for The Times showed the Conservatives have opened up a 14-point poll lead over Labour.
The latest study, the first since Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage confirmed that he was standing down candidates in Tory-held seats, put the Tories on 42 percent, with Labour on 28 percent and the Liberal Democrats on 15 per cent.
It marks the first time the Conservatives have enjoyed a rating of more than 40% in a nationwide YouGov survey since the launch of the Brexit Party in February.
The Liberal Democrats meanwhile tore into the Prime Minister ahead of his speech, with the party's Ed Davey questioning Mr Johnson's ability to resolve the Brexit deadlock.
He said: "Why can’t you tell the truth for once, Prime Minister? Voters face years more of Brexit with Johnson’s plan but he hasn’t the guts or honesty to admit it.
“Johnson’s plan means either years more negotiations or a disastrous No Deal Brexit in a year’s time - yet the Prime Minister peddles yet another deception by pretending Brexit could soon be all over if people vote Tory."
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