PM’S BREXIT OWN-GOAL AS JEZ SETS RECORD STRAIGHT
Johnson’s lies put Britain at greater risk
OF the countless lies Boris Johnson has uttered, the one that infuriates Jeremy Corbyn most is his claim the Labour leader would be a threat to our national security if he took over at No10.
The Prime Minister’s latest fabrication is that our security allies – the Five Eyes nations of America, Australia, Canada and New Zealand – have expressed concerns about a Corbyn premiership.
But Mr Corbyn said: “They’ve never expressed them to me. This is another example of Boris Johnson’s vivid and very inaccurate imagination.
“When he was Foreign Secretary, the endless rude remarks and his inability to conduct himself in diplomatic language was a greater problem than anything else.
“I want to work with other countries to bring about a more secure world.”
This is unlike Mr Corbyn, who never makes personal attacks on political enemies. He did not have a bad word for Theresa May.
But for Mr Johnson he makes an exception. He added: “He has an easy flow of indelicate language which can be offensive to many people.
“If you’re representing your country, you should treat people with respect.”
The Tories have used the
London Bridge terror tragedy nine days ago as a stick to beat Labour with – despite David
Merritt, whose son Jack,
25, was killed, slamming the “vile propaganda”.
They have even tried to promote the lie that
MI5 and MI6 would be under threat if Mr Corbyn were PM. But he said: “They will get what they need. We will provide sufficient funding for the security services and police. We want to keep people safe and secure.”
The Labour leader is also not impressed by President Donald Trump, whose helicopter clattered loudly over the Corbyn household in Islington, North London, when he visited last week for Nato’s 70th anniversary celebrations.
Mr Corbyn said: “It was very big and very noisy, rather like the man himself.”
And he does not believe Mr Trump’s claim he would not touch the NHS in a post-brexit trade deal. “Not so long ago, he said the NHS was on the table along with all public services. They’ve been discussing the NHS two years. I’ve no evidence they are not continuing those talks.
Royal
“Yes, we will trade with the US – but access to the UK does not include our public services.”
Mr Corbyn offers no succour to Prince Andrew either, as the embattled royal faces an FBI grilling over his relationship with the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
He said: “The first issue here is the victims. And, secondly, no one is above the law or above being questioned for their behaviour.
“Of course, everyone has a presumption of innocence before accusations can be tested in court, if that’s where it ends up. Inevitably, this has done damage to the royal family.
“But everyone must recognise that the law must apply equally to everyone.”
Mr Corbyn has visited more than 50 constituencies during this campaign. I met him at the £11million
Winwood Heights retirement village outside Nottingham, a model for what he wants social care to look like. The
development converted two 1960s tower blocks for independent living, while a new one was built for those needing extra care.
Mr Corbyn and I decided we would quite like to retire there ourselves.
He said: “This is a brilliant example of what an imaginative local authority can achieve. This is the sort of care facility I aspire to across the country.” He played the part of caller at the afternoon bingo session... and the first number out was 10!
Mr Corbyn’s plan to give Waspi women up to £31,000 in payouts over the pensions row could be a gamechanger, given their 3.8 million votes. But £57billion to fund it is a lot of money to find.
He said: “They have been very badly treated and we have a moral obligation to put that right. We might have to borrow to pay for it but our moral obligation will be honoured.
“After we distilled all our manifesto policies I said they all had to be honoured. That meant we had to detail the finance, expenditure and extra tax on the top five per cent of earners and corporation tax.
“But what we are doing will also lead to economic growth because of investments in infrastructure, broadband and green industries, which means more tax income.”
But to do any of this means winning on Thursday – and Brexit will sway how people vote. What Mr Corbyn is offering is a new deal with the EU giving us many of the benefits of membership but without a seat at the decision-making table. The choice at a second referendum would be that or to remain – with a seat at the table. What is in it for Leavers?
Mr Corbyn said: “They can vote to leave and we wouldn’t be part of the common agriculture and fisheries policies. But Leavers didn’t vote to lose their jobs or deregulate the economy.
“It will be an offer we will put there alongside remain. My government would be there to deliver on that referendum result and it’s my job to be the honest broker in that process.” Mr Corbyn is fond of his home but realises he, wife Laura and cat El Gato must live at No10 if he becomes PM, saying: “You kinda have to, don’t you?” But there will be changes – to the Downing Street rose garden, for a start. It has hosted world leaders for nearly 300 years and it is where the new PM would want his own allotment.
“I shall grow vegetables there. They must have done that during the war.”
Christmas Day at No10 will be much like previous ones, though – midnight mass on Christmas Eve followed by a visit to homeless shelters on Christmas morning. The Labour leader will not reveal what he will be buying Laura, and imagines she will most likely get him gloves.
He said: “She won’t buy me a book, she’s fed up with me filling the house with books.”
They will prepare Christmas dinner together, which will consist mostly of his allotment-grown vegetables and fruit. Laura will have a glass of wine but Jeremy will not. But before any of that is considered, there is an election to wrap up.
Asked if he will quit as Labour leader if he loses on Thursday, as shadow chancellor John Mcdonnell has suggested, Mr Corbyn is unequivocal: “We are going to win.”
I want to work to bring about a more secure world