‘Corbyn has campaigned all his life to weaken the UK’s defences’, says Boris
FOREIGN Secretary Boris Johnson has dismissed Jeremy Corbyn as “a guy who has campaigned all his life to weaken the UK’s defences”.
Mr Johnson spoke out on the day Mr Corbyn accused Theresa May of “pandering” to Donald Trump during a speech in which the Labour leader insisted he was “not a pacifist”.
Speaking during a Conservative Party campaign visit to an indoor market in the city of Newport, Mr Johnson said: “I am genuinely worried about some of the things Jeremy Corbyn stands for and believes in. This is a time of great uncertainty in the world. We have Russia causing all sorts of trouble in eastern Europe and elsewhere, not least Syria.
“We have a global threat from terrorism and we have to be firm, we have to support Nato and we have to have a very robust response to the threat of terrorism.
“Jeremy Corbyn is a guy who has campaigned all his life to weaken the UK’s defences.”
Last month, Mr Johnson signalled the UK could join any US military action against Syria without parliamentary approval and when questioned by reporters yesterday he said he stuck by those comments.
“We saw what happened last month at Khan Sheikhoun after the attack by chemical weapons by the Assad regime on his own people, again,” he said.
“The Americans did decide to respond a few days later and they sent some Cruise missiles. There may be an occasion again but it is an entirely hypothetical question, we would have to see how we responded. I stick absolutely by what I said.”
Asked whether parliamentary approval would be sought first, Mr Johnson replied: “It is a hypothetical question and, as I said then and I say now, we would have to decide.
“It would have to be a matter for the Prime Minister and the Government.
“The crucial thing is that there is a sharp distinction between a Government that is willing to stand up for this country, which is willing to make sure this country is properly defended and a Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn that would simply chuck away our ability to defend ourselves.
“I think that is crazy and is not the way I want to go.”
Mr Corbyn has said if he was in Downing Street there would be “no more hand holding” with President Trump – a reference to Mrs May’s meeting with the new president in the White House.
Asked about those comments, Mr Johnson replied: “Whatever you may think of the American administration, it is vital we have strong relations with Washington.”
Mr Johnson was asked whether he agreed with Mr Corbyn’s assessment of Mr Trump as a “danger to the world”.
“I think what Jeremy Corbyn is showing is the continuing immature, anti-Americanism of many of his strain in the Labour Party,” the Foreign Secretary said.
The Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP was visiting an indoor market in Newport city centre in support of Angela Jones-Evans, who is standing for the Conservatives in Newport West, held since 1987 by Paul Flynn, but one of eight constituencies in Wales targeted by the Tories.
He was mobbed by members of the public who wanted to take selfies and also took time to speak to stallholders.
Mr Johnson told Terry Gay, owner of Negative Zone comics, that as a child he was a fan of the Incredible Hulk.
“I was an Incredible Hulk man,” Mr Johnson told him.
Mr Gay replied: “You’re half way there.”
Mr Johnson said: “Remember how the Hulk used to say ‘The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets’? I can identify with him.”
Afterwards Mr Gay, 66, said he was a Ukip voter but was considering voting Conservative on June 8.
“A lot of people think he is a buffoon, he puts it on but he is very intelligent, shrewd. He likes to get involved in things, a man of the people really,” he said.
“It’s made my day, I was really fed up. My claim to fame now.”
He added: “Theresa May is speaking the language I like to hear about not giving into Europe.
“This country is Great Britain, we have been great and we traded with the world for centuries and we haven’t needed to just rely on Europe and I think her policies are good. No deal is better than a bad deal. I agree with that.”
On Europe, Mr Johnson said the people of Wales shouldn’t fear Brexit, but should unite behind Mrs May’s plan to leave Europe.
He said: “I think what the country needs now is to come together with Theresa May’s leadership and get the best deal possible.
“I really think that Theresa May and her team can get that deal. If you look at what her programme is, it’s very clear and very decisive and eminently negotiable with our European friends and partners. I don’t think that with the best will in the world, Jeremy Corbyn has the foggiest”.
During his visit, he also said he did not believe that nationalising the railways would not improve the service for Welsh commuters.
“Jeremy Corbyn’s manifesto promises a 1970s-style orgy of renationalisation and public spending which I think is totally anachronistic and would be deeply counterproductive for the UK economy. I am not surprised that Labour MP after Labour MP is coming out to denounce this manifesto.”
He said that the Conservatives were working for Welsh businesses.
“I have just come from a company, Target, based in Newport that employs 650 people and it’s growing the whole time. They wanted to show their support for us and Angela Jones-Evans because they are seeing amazing progress under this Conservative Government.
“They are seeing confidence in the Welsh economy, confidence in investors who want to use their services.”
Cafe owner Ali Al Jboury handed Mr Johnson a free coffee. He said: “I like him. I think he’s a straight person. It’s nice to see him in Newport Market.”
Mr Al Jboury is originally from Iraq and spoke to Mr Johnson about his country.
“He told me he had been there three times and he would like to go again. I think he’s somebody who knows the world. The Foreign Secretary couldn’t be someone who hadn’t ever been out of the country. He knows what he is doing.”