British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised on Sunday “to get Brexit done”, with his Conservative Party making an election pledge to bring his deal to leave the European Union back to parliament before Christmas.
With Britain heading to the polls on Dec. 12, the governing Conservatives rolled out an election manifesto that promised more public sector spending and no further extensions to the protracted departure from the EU.
They also pledged no new taxes, drawing a distinction with the opposition Labour Party that has promised to raise taxes on the rich and businesses to fund a major expansion of the state.
But the manifesto offered little detail on other policy areas, with aides wanting Johnson to play it safe after plans on social care in 2017 saw an opinion poll lead enjoyed by his predecessor Theresa May all but disappear.
Johnson is the runaway favourite to win the election, according to opinion polls.
“Get Brexit done and we shall see a pent up tidal wave of investment into this country,” the prime minister said, launching the manifesto in the central English town of Telford.
“Get Brexit done and we can focus our hearts and our minds on the priorities of the British people.”
He also ruled out seeking any further delay to Brexit, saying in the manifesto: “We will not extend the implementation period beyond December 2020”.
Arriving at the Telford conference centre, Johnson was welcomed by supporters chanting “Boris” but a little further away, protesters shouted: “Liar, liar, pants on fire”.
Contrasting with Labour’s unabashed tax-and-spend approach, Johnson’s manifesto – titled “Get Brexit Done, Unleash Britain’s Potential” – pledged to freeze income tax, value-added sales tax and social security payments.
Instead, he promised a total of 23.5 billion pounds ($30.2 billion) in “sensible” tax cuts and day-to-day spending over four years, including on the National Health Service which would gain 50,000 nurses.
His pledges, which amount to a day-to-day spending increase of 2.9 billion pounds a year by the 2023/24 financial year, are dwarfed by Labour’s 83 billion-pound planned annual spending increase by that same year.
Johnson, portrayed by the opposition party as being in the pockets of billionaires, said he was targeting his measures towards those who are less well off.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described the manifesto as one “for billionaires. They bought it and you’ll pay for it. (Reuters)
