Mr Johnson’s victory in the Tory leadership contest was confirmed just after midday when he vowed to “deliver Brexit, unite the party and defeat Jeremy Corbyn”. Mr Corbyn tweeted: “Boris Johnson has won the support of fewer than 100,000 unrepresentative Conservative Party members by promising tax cuts for the richest, presenting himself as the bankers’ friend, and pushing for a damaging no deal Brexit. But he hasn’t won the support of our country.”
He continued: “Johnson’s no deal Brexit would mean job cuts, higher prices in the shops, and risk our NHS being sold off to US corporations in a sweetheart deal with Donald Trump.
“The people of our country should decide who becomes the Prime Minister in a general election.”
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell tweeted: “This first Johnson speech is excruciatingly and embarrassingly underwhelming.
“It was a like an ill prepared after dinner speech at the local golf club.”
Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon tweeted: “Trumpism comes to the UK.
“Johnson will scapegoat and whip up division to protect an economic system rigged for billionaires.
“The priority now for all progressives is to make him the shortest-serving PM in history, beat his hard-right no Deal plans and get Jeremy Corbyn into Number 10.”
