UK PM Johnson offers up new Brexit promise for Christmas

By William James and Kylie MacLellan

 

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a copy of the Conservative party's manifesto during it's launch in Telford, Britain November 24, 2019. REUTERS/Phil Noble

 

TELFORD, England (Reuters) - 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".

 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched his ruling Conservatives' manifesto on Sunday, aiming to present the image of sensible spending against Labour's unabashed tax and spend policy. David Doyle reports.

 

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."

 

Labour earlier announced another spending commitment, promising to compensate more than three million women who lost years of state pension payments when their retirement age was raised.

 

'BIG-SPENDING ELECTION'

Think-tanks such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies have raised questions about how both the Conservatives and Labour would fund their plans.

 

"Business leaders will still want to see value for money from the Conservative spending pledges, and there are some concerns this is turning into a big-spending election," said Edwin Morgan, director of policy at the Institute of Directors.

 

"But Tory (Conservative) plans are still well lower than the absolutely massive expansion being advocated by Labour."

 

Held after three years of negotiations to leave the European Union since a 2016 referendum, the December election will show how far Brexit has torn traditional political allegiances apart and will test an electorate increasingly tired of voting.

 

In a heated campaign where the Conservatives have been criticised for disseminating misleading social media posts, Johnson, 55, said "the Twittersphere" was not really his province, trying to deflect any criticism of dirty tricks.

 

Instead he turned his comments towards Labour's Brexit position, which he said would result in more delay.

 

Labour has said it will negotiate a better Brexit deal with the EU within six months that it will put to the people in a new referendum - one that would also offer the choice of remaining in the bloc.

 

Corbyn has said he would remain neutral in such a vote, something his finance policy chief John McDonnell described as the Labour leader adopting the role of "an honest broker".

 

Johnson criticised the stance.

 

"They want to rip up our deal and negotiate a new one. But we don't yet know of a single Labour MP (member of parliament) or any other MP who would support this deal," Johnson said to applause and laughter.

 

"It would be farcical, it would be comical if the consequences of that approach were not so disastrous for this country and our prospects next year. Let's give that madness a miss."

 

(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Holton, Bill Schomberg and Andy Bruce; Editing by David Clarke, Frances Kerry and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-25

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Who is the elderly chap doing "activities" in the day care centre, about 30" into the video?

I know the alternatives are difficult but sometimes I wonder why anybody would vote for Boris.

He is lying all the time. And he is making all the time promises which he does not keep. Remember: "No ifs, ands or buts"

What's the point of voting for someone who has a horrible record and who promises whatever people want to hear - and different promises to different people.

Why would anybody trust Boris?

5 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I know the alternatives are difficult but sometimes I wonder why anybody would vote for Boris.

He is lying all the time. And he is making all the time promises which he does not keep. Remember: "No ifs, ands or buts"

What's the point of voting for someone who has a horrible record and who promises whatever people want to hear - and different promises to different people.

Why would anybody trust Boris?

They are all lying, you are just being selective of who you don't believe. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

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.

So promise "jam tomorrow", but fail to explain how...boris telling porky pies again.

He promised we'd be out by 31 October 2019.

How many promises does he need to break before everyone stops believing him?

For me once was enough.

Just the headline provoked images  of  Santa sprawling in a ditch !

Never voted in my entire life and all due to relatives fueding with eachother all down these years from the 50s... cant be arsed getting into the verbals with those left.

"Get Brexit Done, Unleash Britain's Potential" It is best to keep dangerous dogs on a leash.

Fool me once, shame on you

Fool me dozens of times and I must be a Conservative supporter. "Could I get some cream with that?"

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

He promised we'd be out by 31 October 2019.

How many promises does he need to break before everyone stops believing him?

For me once was enough.

its the fools in the big house on the river that blew up that idea.

 

25 minutes ago, Emdog said:

"Get Brexit Done, Unleash Britain's Potential" It is best to keep dangerous dogs on a leash.

Fool me once, shame on you

Fool me dozens of times and I must be a Conservative supporter. "Could I get some cream with that?"

I'm no lover of Conservatives, as whoever you vote for the government gets in, but honest do we want a retiree running the country, labour should have kicked that fence sitting idiot out

7 hours ago, webfact said:

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.

Promises given
And promises broken
Words stain my lips
Just like blood on my hands

 

And words are like poison
That sinks down inside you
And some things you do
You just don't understand

 

Promises, Lyle Lovette

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I know the alternatives are difficult but sometimes I wonder why anybody would vote for Boris.

He is lying all the time. And he is making all the time promises which he does not keep. Remember: "No ifs, ands or buts"

What's the point of voting for someone who has a horrible record and who promises whatever people want to hear - and different promises to different people.

Why would anybody trust Boris?

and prefer to die in a ditch then to ask for extension ..

How Johnson’s “die in a ditch” pledge turned to dust

Who knew that the enemy of the British people would go to court to stop brexit . Boris was stabbed in the back as was the British people by the bent politicians.

Think-tanks such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies have raised questions about how both the Conservatives and Labour would fund their plans.

 

It seems that leading politicians in the UK do not even have to explain the financing of their plans to the electorate.

 

Either they think the voters are completely stupid, or they really are.

4 minutes ago, Foghorn said:

Who knew that the enemy of the British people would go to court to stop brexit . Boris was stabbed in the back as was the British people by the bent politicians.

That sounds like: But if those bad buys in parliament wouldn't have done that and Boris could have done what he promised then Brexit would have been done already.

Now what was that again with the "No ifs, ands or buts" ?

41 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Promises given
And promises broken
Words stain my lips
Just like blood on my hands

 

And words are like poison
That sinks down inside you
And some things you do
You just don't understand

 

Promises, Lyle Lovette

Boris has enthusiasm

Corbyns a bore

He used to be indecisive

Now he's not sure.

 

Ditherer, vogie.

 

21 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

That sounds like: But if those bad buys in parliament wouldn't have done that and Boris could have done what he promised then Brexit would have been done already.

Now what was that again with the "No ifs, ands or buts" ?

so whats your expert answer

32 minutes ago, vogie said:

Boris has enthusiasm

Corbyns a bore

He used to be indecisive

Now he's not sure.

 

Ditherer, vogie.

 

Oh dear, that barrel must be scraped raw now...

11 minutes ago, steve187 said:

so whats your expert answer

Don't lie!

 

Boris should explain to the voters what he really has in mind with Brexit. How would a realistic trade agreement with the EU look like? How would a realistic trade agreement with the USA look like? And what consequences would that have for most of the "normal" people in the UK?

If Boris would tell the voters the truth (something realistic, not his dreams) then Brexit would be finished.

So he continues to lie and lots of people continue to dream about something that will never happen.

It's obvious to anybody who does not close his/her eyes.

 

But it seems lots of Brits will vote for Boris and then they will get what they deserve. I am really sorry for all those other people who don't believe in unicorns. 

41 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

Think-tanks such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies have raised questions about how both the Conservatives and Labour would fund their plans.

 

It seems that leading politicians in the UK do not even have to explain the financing of their plans to the electorate.

 

Either they think the voters are completely stupid, or they really are.

Just think for every 1 pound that the Tories spend Labour will spend 28.

 

 

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Don't lie!

 

Boris should explain to the voters what he really has in mind with Brexit. How would a realistic trade agreement with the EU look like? How would a realistic trade agreement with the USA look like? And what consequences would that have for most of the "normal" people in the UK?

If Boris would tell the voters the truth (something realistic, not his dreams) then Brexit would be finished.

So he continues to lie and lots of people continue to dream about something that will never happen.

It's obvious to anybody who does not close his/her eyes.

 

But it seems lots of Brits will vote for Boris and then they will get what they deserve. I am really sorry for all those other people who don't believe in unicorns. 

so you ere asking him to spill the beans, tell the truth and loose the chance (if any 555) to maybe win

I feel pity with the British: on one side a liar, who wants only one thing: be Prime Minister of whatever will be left of the United Kingdom, and on the other side a Marxist dreamer with anti-Semitic support.

As in the UK, the "winner takes it all", all votes per constituency for not the winning candidate are lost, instead of counted together to get a real democratic reflection of the total voters. With 5 parties, you can win – in theory - all constituencies with only 20,1% of all votes and have all 650 seats in the House of Commons.

Resulty: many vote for one of the two big ones, and the rest... is hardly of importance ( unless in Scotland now, there it is nearly one party rule) 

2 hours ago, puipuitom said:

I feel pity with the British: on one side a liar, who wants only one thing: be Prime Minister of whatever will be left of the United Kingdom, and on the other side a Marxist dreamer with anti-Semitic support.

As in the UK, the "winner takes it all", all votes per constituency for not the winning candidate are lost, instead of counted together to get a real democratic reflection of the total voters. With 5 parties, you can win – in theory - all constituencies with only 20,1% of all votes and have all 650 seats in the House of Commons.

Resulty: many vote for one of the two big ones, and the rest... is hardly of importance ( unless in Scotland now, there it is nearly one party rule) 

 

why pity?

they have created the mess themselves

the islanders indulge in their antique political governance system

and are proud of it

 

oldest democracy on the planet they claim/shout/boast,

and yes - hasn't changed for 500 years

 

14 hours ago, Mavideol said:

and prefer to die in a ditch then to ask for extension ..

How Johnson’s “die in a ditch” pledge turned to dust

At least 25,000 Iraqi civilians weren,t slaughtered in boris,'re failed pledge as opposed to Blair's pack of lies regarding"the weapons of mass destruction "that were never found incidentally.

4 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

why pity?

they have created the mess themselves

the islanders indulge in their antique political governance system

and are proud of it

 

oldest democracy on the planet they claim/shout/boast,

and yes - hasn't changed for 500 years

 

Calm down dear

7 hours ago, puipuitom said:

I feel pity with the British: on one side a liar, who wants only one thing: be Prime Minister of whatever will be left of the United Kingdom, and on the other side a Marxist dreamer with anti-Semitic support.

As in the UK, the "winner takes it all", all votes per constituency for not the winning candidate are lost, instead of counted together to get a real democratic reflection of the total voters. With 5 parties, you can win – in theory - all constituencies with only 20,1% of all votes and have all 650 seats in the House of Commons.

Resulty: many vote for one of the two big ones, and the rest... is hardly of importance ( unless in Scotland now, there it is nearly one party rule) 

Was you hoping to emigrate to the uk?

5 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

why pity?

they have created the mess themselves

the islanders indulge in their antique political governance system

and are proud of it

 

oldest democracy on the planet they claim/shout/boast,

and yes - hasn't changed for 500 years

 

 

 

For an alien you spend a lot of time commenting on our great country.

 

 

Perhaps give more attention to your own.

8 hours ago, puipuitom said:

I feel pity with the British: on one side a liar, who wants only one thing: be Prime Minister of whatever will be left of the United Kingdom, and on the other side a Marxist dreamer with anti-Semitic support.

As in the UK, the "winner takes it all", all votes per constituency for not the winning candidate are lost, instead of counted together to get a real democratic reflection of the total voters. With 5 parties, you can win – in theory - all constituencies with only 20,1% of all votes and have all 650 seats in the House of Commons.

Resulty: many vote for one of the two big ones, and the rest... is hardly of importance ( unless in Scotland now, there it is nearly one party rule) 

 

Why don't you go and make some comments on the Dutch political threads?

 

You can discuss Holland's importance on the international stage with like-minded people. Maybe The Netherlands has an ambitious new proposal to build more windmills, or providing fresh subsidies for clog factories?

6 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

why pity?

they have created the mess themselves

the islanders indulge in their antique political governance system or

and are proud of it

 

oldest democracy on the planet they claim/shout/boast,

and yes - hasn't changed for 500 years

 

 

1 hour ago, kingdong said:

Calm down dear

Never mind, I'm sure that the Germans will be along to tell you what to do soon.

 

It seems to happen, on average, a couple of times every century!

 

We'll stick to our antique political governance system - at least that means that we get to decide who governs our islands...

9 hours ago, puipuitom said:

Resulty: many vote for one of the two big ones, and the rest... is hardly of importance ( unless in Scotland now, there it is nearly one party rule) 

Important to note that the other alternatives are open to Scots voters too - just that they are consistently rejected. It may seem obvious but one of the dirty smears employed by those craven yoons is to declare that Scottish politics is akin to that of North Korea. If only the alternatives were not so dire, we might see a greater mix of parties. 

 

Also worth noting that, under the current arrangement in Westminster, Scottish votes that are not for the ruling party are equally as unimportant as those for the other smaller parties.