BORIS JOHNSON vowed to deliver a super-fast Brexit as he launched his bid for No10 by pledging to give Britain its mojo back – and smash Jeremy Corbyn.
The Tory frontrunner told squabbling MPs there would be “mortal retribution” if they blocked Britain’s departure from the EU.
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And he insisted he believed that with a “new mandate, new optimism and new determination” his new team in Downing Street could deliver Brexit on time by October 31.
Bojo promised he had the “guts and the courage” to take Britain out of the EU by Oct 31. And he told MPs the time had come “to remember our duty to the people and the reasons for the Brexit vote”.
It came as the former Foreign Secretary unveiled his eagerly anticipated bid for Downing Street in front of massed ranks of Tory MPs, his father Stanley, brother Jo and girlfriend Carrie Symonds in central London.
He joked about breaking the 70 mph speed limit – when challenged if he had ever committed a criminal offence – and all-but confessed to taking coke.
And he vowed to lift the nation from its mood of despair – saying that Britain had been achieving “Grand Prix” performance levels without “firing on all cylinders”.
‘KICK THE CAN AGAIN AND WE KICK THE BUCKET’
The odds-on favourite to replace Theresa May insisted that under him, the country would get its confidence and self-belief back.
When we come up with that better Brexit deal, there will be a sense of overwhelming relief as Brexit finally leaves the front pages and becomes a debate about how to get the best possible free trade deal in Brussels.
“And there will then be the chance to concentrate on the Britain that we can create for everyone.”
1ST FOR FIRST LADY CARRIE
CARRIE Symonds made her official debut as Boris Johnson’s “First Lady” yesterday as she watched him launch his campaign.
The former Tory aide, 31, arrived with close pal Nimco Ali — a prominent campaigner against female genital mutilation.
If Boris, 54, wins, Carrie is expected to move into No 10 with him.
They have lived in South London since their ro-mance emerged last year.
He added: “Over the last few years, I have seen in our friends (overseas), the desire for this country to recover its confidence and self-belief.
“Very often it has been our friends and partners who have shown more confidence in this country than we have ourselves.
“It is time to end this debilitating uncertainty.”
In a clear pitch for the moderate Tory ‘One Nation’ vote, the former Foreign Secretary appeared to soften his commitment to a No Deal Brexit.
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During his near 20 minute speech, Mr Johnson insisted he wasn’t “aiming” for a No Deal but that Britain had to prepare “vigorously” for such an outcome to convince Brussels that the Government was serious about leaving.
It was only later in a private hustings in Westminster that he confirmed to Tory MPs he would leave with No Deal on October 31 if it came to it.
It emerged that Mr Johnson has privately assured senior Brexiteers that he will leave the option of suspending Parliament on the table as a way to force through a No Deal.
He had told Tory MPs in a hustings that he was “strongly not attracted” to the move – known as ‘proroguing’ Parliament.
But The Times reported that the leadership front-runner privately told the hard Brexit European Research Group last week that he would not rule it out as Prime Minister.
The move would end the Parliamentary session early and thereby prevent MPs from forcing through new legislation to stop a no deal Brexit on October 31.
A source on a rival campaign told The Times: “He’s told the ERG he won’t take prorogation off the table and that he’s signed up to their plan for a ‘managed no deal'”.
He said any further delays would lead to the risk of a General Election defeat.
“Kick can the can again, and we kick the bucket!”
Mr Johnson gave few details of his Brexit plan in his campaign launch other than to assure his supporters the ‘feel good’ factor around his administration would make the difference.
He said: “The team that I hope to build will hit the ground running and engage in the friendliest possible way with our colleagues across the Channel.
SHE ‘CARRIES’ IT WELL
SHE has been credited for giving Boris Johnson a makeover, but it seems Carrie Symonds has also had a transformation.
She has swapped her miniskirts and colourful frocks for a smarter and more classic look yesterday — a £199 Karen Millen leopard-print shirt dress, in sultry dark red.
Carrie has also ditched her bleached blonde locks and fake tan for a more demure look.
“They will rapidly come to see a Government with a new mandate, and a new onus to get things done, a new optimism and new confidence about what Britain can do. I think they will respond to that and there will be a symmetrical enthusiasm to get this done.”
The former London Mayor centred his pitch for the top job on his record when running the capital. And he ran off a hoist of ‘One Nation’ polices to unite the country – from investing in rail connections in the north of the country to spending money on schools and super-fast broadband.
He said that while he promised a bumper tax cut for big earners on Monday, there would be a “package of measures” for the lower paid. And he said his goal remained to “level up” by boosting “every region”.
POLITICIANS TOO ‘SQUEAMISH’ ABOUT STRAIGHT TALKING
Challenged repeatedly about whether the country could “trust” him given the furious opposition of some ministers to his campaign, Mr Johnson insisted the line-up of Tory MPs proved he had the support of the party.
And he controversially defended his previous description of burkha-wearing Muslim women as ‘letterboxes’ – saying politicians had become too squeamish about straight talking.
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The question about his letterbox comment in a newspaper column last year – from a reporter at the campaign launch – drew boos from sections of the MP audience. Mr Johnson insisted it was a “fair” question.
But he said: “Of course occasionally some plaster comes off the ceiling as a result of the phrases I make, or a result of that phrase being taken out of context or interpreted by those for reasons of their own.
“But I feel that one of the reasons the public feels alienated now from us all as a breed is because too often we are muffling and veiling our language.”
And Mr Johnson went on to launch a fierce attack on the Labour ‘left’ – saying the Conservatives must never allow Jeremy Corbyn the keys to Downing Street. He said his experience of competing with Ken Livingstone gave him experience in beating “far left Latin American caudillos with proto Marxist views”.
And he said: “I am afraid that he and what he stands for are a real threat to our fundamental values and our way of life.
“My friends we cannot let them anywhere near Downing Street.”
THE SUN SAYS: BORIS BUBBLE
BORIS Johnson’s leadership pitch is based on energy and optimism. Fine. What else does he have if his bubble is burst?
Boris insists the EU will give him a better Brexit deal because his Government will have fresh vigour and conviction. Failing that it’s No Deal, which he believes MPs lack the bottle to prevent.
What if he’s wrong? Tory Remainers certainly seem demented enough to topple their own Government.
What if he’s misread Brussels too?
The EU must change the backstop if they still want a deal — Theresa May’s is dead. But they may not, hoping to force a second referendum or election. Can Boris risk the latter? If not, what’s his plan?
In fairness, none of his rivals has much more of one. That includes Sajid Javid, despite his excellent speech yesterday.
They would all be fronting a minority Government against an intransigent EU and a cynical Labour Party opposed to any Tory solution.
As PM, Boris would rapidly need serious answers. And far more realism about what he can achieve, facing the same obstacles that did for his predecessor.
And he would need to be more honest with voters than she ever was.
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