Boris Johnson seemed to blame Islamophobia in the Conservative Party on the failure to get Brexit done.
During the BBC’s election head-to head both Mr Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn were asked about the division and acrimony within political discourse by a member of the audience in Maidstone in Kent.
The Prime Minister replied: “What we need to do is come together as a country.
“We’ve been going at this too long – and this is my key point tonight – the scratchiness of politics, the bitterness, the acrimony is a function of our inability to get Brexit done.
Both political parties have faced accusations that they have failed to act on problems with racism in their parties.
Mr Johnson agreed to an independent investigation into Islamophobia before widening it out to include all forms of racism.
While Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of failing to respond to issues of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party which is being investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Mr Johnson said of his opponent: “I think that, you know, Mr Corbyn, I’m sure is very well intentioned.
“But I think in his handling of this particular issue, his unwillingness to take a stand, to stand up for Jewish people in the Labour Party.
“His unwillingness to protect them, to put an arm round them, is in my view a failure of leadership.
“You cannot be neutral on questions like this, any more, in my view, than you can try to lead this country and be neutral on the issue of Brexit.
“It is a failure to take a stand, to have a point of view, that in the end will cost this country gravely and deeply.”
Making reference to Mr Johnson’s comments about Muslim women who wear the niqab looking like letterboxes, the Labour leader said: “A failure of leadership is when you use racist remarks to describe people in different countries or in our society.
“I will never do that and my party will never do that.”
On a question of security versus human rights, Mr Johnson had threatened to lock up terrorists and throw away the key – even though victim Jack Merritt’s dad had pleaded for him not to politicise the atrocity.
Mr Corbyn slammed the Tory leader: “Yes of course you must imprison them. Yes of course you must try and rehabilitate them if you can.
“But there has to be a monitoring process to achieve that. We need security on our streets. Security doesn’t come on the cheap.
“And if you cut the number of police officers, cut the number of PCSOs, privatise the probation service, underfund all the other aspects of the criminal justice system, then we all pay a price with our own security.”
Mr Johnson claimed he was putting a huge amount of money into the criminal justice system – even though the Tories have cut expenditure on justice by 40%, and have announced no plans to increase expenditure except on prisons.
According to a YouGov snap poll 52% believe Mr Johnson won and 48% think Mr Corbyn did.
The pollster said this falls within the margin of error so it can be considered another draw. Those who answered “don’t know” have been removed from results.
Chris Curtis, YouGov’s political research manager, said: “Our snap poll shows that the public remains divided on who won the debate, just as with last month’s head-to-head, with most Labour voters thinking Jeremy Corbyn won, most Conservative voters thinking Boris Johnson won, and very few people changing their minds.
“But given the Conservatives went into this debate in the lead, they will hope the lack of a knockout blow means they can maintain this until voting day.
(Image: JEFF OVERS/BBC/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX)
BBC host Nick Robinson oversaw only the second – but final – head-to-head debate of the 2019 general election campaign between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn .
The hour-long clash came after a torrid day for the Prime Minister as former PM John Major told voters to back Independents over the Tories in the election.
Tony Blair declared “thank God for John Major!” at an anti- Brexit rally tonight as a video message from Sir John said next week’s vote is the “final chance” to affect Brexit.
Meanwhile the PM was left reeling after BBC interviewer Andrew Neil lambasted him for refusing to be grilled by the him on primetime TV.
Mr Johnson pulled out of a visit to a pub in Kent after protesters turned up and he was branded a chicken.
Jeremy Corbyn went on the attack, unleashing a fresh set of documents which he claimed shattered Mr Johnson’s pledge there will be no checks on goods going to Northern Ireland.
Despite the Prime Minister’s woes two new polls put the Tories solidly ahead of Labour today with just five days left to the general election.
Ipsos Mori put Labour on 32% and the Tories on 44%, closing the gap by four points. But a survey by Panelbase showed the gap widening, with the Tories on 43% to Labour’s 34%.
