Boris Johnson stood accused of trying to lie and bribe his way back into power.
The accusation came as the Tory leader set out his party’s election manifesto of hollow promises and un-costed spending commitments.
Even his central pledge of 50,000 more nurses fell part within hours.
Launching the manifesto in Telford, Shrops, Mr Johnson was watched by his Cabinet as he vowed to “level up” funding in the public services and to “forge a new Britain”.
(Image: WILL OLIVER/EPA-EFE/REX)
But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn later challenged Mr Johnson on how he could be trusted to deliver on his meagre public spending pledges after almost a decade of Tory cuts.
Mr Johnson also told the audience: “Get Brexit done and we can focus our hearts and minds on the priorities of the British people.”
But his key election promise to sort Brexit by January 31 came under fire amid fears that talks could drag on for years.
Reacting to the manifesto, Manuel Cortes, general secretary of travel union Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, said: “This is bluster from the Tories and is packed full of lies and wafer-thin policies. No voter is going to fall for these bribes.”
The Tories are offering to spend £3billion more a year, versus the £83billion annually Labour has pledged in order to reverse the effects of austerity for millions of hard-hit Britons.
(Image: PA)
For every pound the Tories have pledged to spend by the end of the next Parliament, Labour has promised £28.
Even Mr Johnson’s flagship pledge of 50,000 more nurses unravelled after it emerged that it included retaining 19,000 existing nurses.
Experts also questioned the Tories’ £879million cost of the pledge – suggesting it would cost £2.8billion a year once national insurance, pensions and training were factored in.
And the Royal College of Nursing claimed the U-turn on the scrapped nurses’ bursary did not go far enough, as it did not cover tuition fees.
Dame Donna Kinnair, of the RCN, said: “We need more detail of how and from where these future professionals are going to be found.”
Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “First we had Johnson’s fake 40 hospitals, now we have his fake 50,000 extra nurses.”
(Image: PA)
Mr Johnson earlier spoke of building 40 new hospitals. But it then emerged that only six are under way and funded, and much more cash will be needed to complete the rest.
Tory strategists had promised a “bare bones” manifesto in a bid to avoid the problems of Theresa May ’s disastrous launch in 2017.
While it does include measures for new police, the triple tax lock, rail line funding and a defence spending lift, it actually gives activists little to offer voters on the doorstep.
In a clear signal that he wants to stay in No.10 for two terms, the PM set out his vision for Britain “in 10 years’ time”.
But Mr Corbyn said Mr Johnson could “not be trusted” to run the country.
He said: “After a decade of the Conservatives cutting our NHS, police and schools, Boris Johnson is offering more of the same: more cuts, more failure and years more of Brexit uncertainty.”
Dave Prentis, of union Unison, said: “No one should be fooled by the Tory promises for the NHS and public sector.”
Labour MP David Lammy said: “The Conservative manifesto is fundamentally dishonest. It promises to raise spending and freeze taxes while not explaining where the money is coming from.”
