London, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched the Conservative Party’s election manifesto on Sunday, promising to put his “Get Brexit Done” deal before parliament ahead of Christmas recess.
Johnson travelled to Telford in central England where the Conservatives are bidding to hold on to a marginal seat in the December 12 general election, the Xinhua news agency reported.
With its Brexit theme, the Conservatives were the last of the big political parties to spell out to Britain’s 46 million voters their plans if Johnson returns to 10 Downing Street after the election.
The manifesto promises, if the Conservatives win, to put the Brexit deal before the House of Commons ahead of parliament being shut down for Christmas and New Year recess. That will then pave the way for Britain’s departure from the European Union (EU) on January 31, 2020.
He described it as an “oven-ready” deal, already supported by Brussels and backed by every Conservative politician fighting in the election. Johnson said it would see a tidal wave of investment into Britain.
Johnson said Britain has been held back by three-and-a-half years by a broken parliament.
“We will get Brexit done and end the acrimony and despair,” he said in a speech that made constant references to Britain’s EU membership impasse.
The manifesto says there will be a five-year freeze on levels of income tax, Value Added Tax (VAT, which adds up to 20 percent on the prices of goods and services), and National Insurance contributions, which funds the country’s health service.
Describing the manifesto as moderate, compared to the main opposition Labour Party plans for a massive spending spree, Johnson said 50,000 new nurses and 20,000 more police will be hired.
There will also be more spending on infrastructure, science, and education, while at the same time controlling debt.
New polls, published Sunday, continue to give the governing Conservatives a double-digit lead over Labour. Pollsters say if the results are mirrored in the December election, Johnson will return to 10 Downing Street as head of a majority government.