BORIS Johnson has given the biggest hint yet he plans an early general election — after giving ministers a “half-time pep talk”.
The PM told his reshuffled cabinet it was time to “spit out the orange peel” and work to deliver.
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The last general election was in December 2019, so talk of half time would put the next one firmly in 2023.
Mr Johnson cracked jokes to ministers yesterday, and poked fun at his own growing brood.
The PM, who has at least six kids and another one on the way, rallied ministers to “think about delivery”.
He added: “I’ve seen a few delivery rooms.”
He urged ministers to “get out on to the pitch as a team” and pull together to deliver on more police, better broadband, cutting crime, and slashing NHS waiting.
The Prime Minister continued: “This is the moment when we spit out the orange peel, we adjust our gum shields and our scrum caps.”
The next general election is scheduled to take place in 2024, and Downing Street sources have denied any plan to hold one earlier.
In a rally cry to his new team, the PM hailed his government’s achievements.
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He said: “This is the government that got Brexit done. That took back control of our money, our borders, our laws.
“This is the government that rolled out the fastest vaccine programme anywhere in Europe.
“This is the government that’s going to get social care done.”
The meeting saw demoted ex-Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab sit beside his replacement Liz Truss.
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