Leaders in Pre-election Clash over NHS, Brexit and Economy

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn have clashed over the NHS, Brexit and leadership at the last Prime Minister’s Questions before the general election.

The Labour leader said voters had a “once in a generation” chance to save the NHS, which was in “greater danger” than at any time in its history.

He said voters had the chance to back “real change” and an end to austerity.

But the PM warned of

“economic catastrophe” and “political disaster” if Labour got into power.

Political parties are readying themselves for a general election campaign after MPs voted for a 12 December poll.

The legislation approved by MPs on Tuesday has begun its passage through the House of Lords, where it is not expected to be opposed.

And the electoral authorities have set a deadline of the end of Tuesday 26 November for people to register to vote. The cut-off point to apply for postal votes is the same day, but at 17:00 GMT.

In their final encounter in Parliament before the election, the two leaders exchanged barbs over their political values and disputed their parties’ respective records on the NHS.

The Labour leader accused the PM - who he has challenged to a one-on-one TV debate - of running down the health service, saying cuts to funding had contributed to rising waiting times for cancer treatment and operations.

He said a Labour government would reverse what he said was the growing privatisation of the NHS, saying it existed to “make people better, not make the wealthy few richer”.

“The choice at this election cannot be clearer,” he said.

“People have the choice to vote for real change after years of Conservative and Lib Dem cuts, privatisation and tax handouts for the richest.”

Johnson said he agreed voters faced a “stark choice” between a government spending

“unrivalled” sums on the NHS and a Labour party that would “wreck the economy”.

Dismissing the Labour leader as an “Islingtonian protester” rather than a real leader, he said Mr Corbyn’s “flip-flopping” over Brexit would lead to more years of “toxic, tedious, torpor”.

While 2020 would be a “wonderful year” under a Tory government, he said electing Jeremy Corbyn would result in further referendums on Europe and Scottish independence.