Politics

General election 2019: Today’s key moments as Lib Dems apologise over leaflets and Jeremy Corbyn faces renewed opposition



Here is the Standard’s summary of today’s key political moments ahead of December’s general election.

Lib Dems apologise over leaflets

​The Liberal Democrats apologised for distributing misleading campaign literature to hundreds of Londoners.

The party said it was “an error” to post the leaflets, which claimed the party was neck-and-neck with the Tories.

The projections came from a company that is not a member of the British Polling Council and uses national polls to forecast local voter intention.

Party president Sal Brinton said: “We have had a discussion with the person who wrote that and asked them to make sure the right company is credited. That was an error for which I apologise.”

She also apologised for another leaflet which claimed The Guardian had described the party as “winning and on the up”. This was actually a quote from leader Jo Swinson.

‘Remain alliance’ reveals plans

The “remain alliance” unveiled 60 seats where parties will step aside to boost the chances of anti-Brexit candidates.

Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party have agreed to field just one candidate in seats they are targeting across England and Wales.

As part of the pact, the Lib Dems will stand in 43 constituencies, the Greens in 10 and Plaid Cymru will stand in seven.

This could be the difference in knife-edge seats such as Richmond Park, where Tory Zac Goldsmith has a majority of just 45 votes over the Lib Dems. 

In Wimbledon, the Greens will not stand to help the Lib Dems’ Paul Kohler, while his party will not field a candidate in Dulwich and West Norwood to boost the Greens.

Chancellor hails ‘new economic era’

Sajid Javid said the Conservatives will increase borrowing to pay for new infrastructure as he hailed a “new economic era”.

During a speech in Manchester, the chancellor announced plans to borrow “some more” to invest in hospital and railway projects.

He spoke of three new fiscal rules to replace the strict corset that was imposed after the 2008 crash to restore economic credibility.

Mr Javid declared: “Historic low borrowing rates mean we need to adjust our framework to fund a decade of renewal.

“Incredibly, at the moment, we can borrow in real terms at negative rates, meaning it is a responsible time to invest.”

Meanwhile, shadow chancellor John McDonnell pledged £400 billion in infrastructure spending to cause “an irreversible shift in the balance of power and wealth in favour of working people”.

Don’t vote Corbyn, says former Labour MP

Former Labour MP Ian Austin hit out at Jeremy Corbyn, urging voters to back Boris Johnson instead.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the Labour leader is “completely unfit to lead our country”.

The former special advisor to Gordon Brown said: “The country faces a big choice and there’s only two people who can become Prime Minister on December 13 and I’ve come to the conclusion it can’t be Jeremy Corbyn, so it has to be Boris Johnson.”

But Corbyn ally John McDonnell leapt to his colleague’s defence, claiming Mr Austin is “employed by the Tories”.

He said: “He’s now employed by the Tories, what else do you expect him to do in an election campaign where you’re employed by the Tories, you speak on behalf of the Tories. That’s what this was about this morning.”

Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey said telling people to vote Conservative was “absurd” when asked about his comments.

Don’t vote Corbyn, says Jewish Chronicle

The Jewish Chronicle pleaded with the British public not to vote for Mr Corbyn.

A front page appeal to voters said the ‘vast majority’ of British Jews consider the Labour leader to be an anti-Semite.

The paper accused him of ignoring concerns of people within their community and “actively impeding action against the racists”.

It read: “There were some who hoped he might change as a leader. The opposite has happened. The near total inaction of Mr Corbyn and the rest of the Labour leadership in dealing with anti-Semitism in the party has both emboldened them and encouraged others.”

It went on to say: “If this man is chosen as our prime minister, the message will be stark: that our dismay that he could ever be elevated to a prominent role in British politics, and our fears of where that will lead are irrelevant. 

“We will have to conclude that our fears count for nothing.”



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