UK PM Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn clash over Brexit in first TV debate

UK Prime Miniter Boris Johnson (Photo: IANS)


UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday clashed over several issues including Brexit in their first TV election debate.

Johnson promised to “end this national misery” and slammed Labour for offering “only division and deadlock”, BBC reported.

Whereas, Corbyn said Labour would “get Brexit sorted by giving you, the people, the final say”.

Johnson wants to win a majority in December 12 general election so that he can get the Brexit deal, agreed with the EU, into law and take the UK out of the bloc on January 31 and begin talks with Brussels on a permanent trading relationship.

On Sunday, Johnson extended his lead over Corbyn as he strengthens the ruling Conservatives’ grip on working-class voters ahead of the December 12 general election, according to a new poll.

Earlier in the month, PM Johnson had launched his Conservative Party’s campaign, who is facing an unprecedented candidate against him. A young Muslim immigrant Ali Milani who represents the Labour Party in Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituencies of northwest London.

Johnson is hopeful that the December 12 election will break the long impasse over Brexit and give his party a majority so he can extricate Britain from the European Union.

The two candidates are at extreme poles from their family background to culture to their political ideologies.

If Johnson lost his Uxbridge seat, this hasn’t happened to a prime minister in modern times, then he would probably step down, Travers said. The party could try to create a sudden vacancy and stage a one-off election for one seat, “but there’s always a risk that the electorate won’t like that. . . . It’s hard to see him getting back into Parliament until there was a naturally occurring by-election.” In theory, Johnson could attempt to run his administration from the House of Lords, but that hasn’t happened since the premiership of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil more than 100 years ago.