Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Brace yourselves for a dismal election campaign

Would anyone want an election after witnessing this afternoon’s Commons debate on the matter? Both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn have just produced rambling, slightly nonsensical speeches arguing their corner. The Prime Minister wants an election. The Leader of the Opposition does not. Neither offered much that was convincing to support those stances. 

Johnson’s main theme was that ‘this Parliament has run its course’. This would have made more sense had the government not held a Queen’s Speech introducing its new legislative agenda just two weeks ago. He also seemed to think that the best way of persuading Jeremy Corbyn to back the government’s motion calling for a 12 December poll was to goad the Labour leader, telling him that he needed to realise that he was toast. 

Corbyn’s retort involved the Labour leader repeatedly telling the Commons that Johnson cannot be trusted.

Isabel Hardman
Written by
Isabel Hardman
Isabel Hardman is assistant editor of The Spectator and author of Why We Get the Wrong Politicians. She also presents Radio 4’s Week in Westminster.

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