Johnson reaches for safety switch in run up to poll

Boris Johnson wants to focus on the economic benefits that a majority Tory government could deliver for the country after Brexit. Picture: AFP

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will spend the run up to the December 12 election in safety-first mode to ensure the runaway support for the Tories doesn’t collapse in the last days.

Mr Johnson launched the Conservative Party manifesto on Sunday with an eye to the undeclared middle ground — and soft Remainers who consider Brexit less important than local issues such as schools, healthcare, education and a looming rail strike.

He wants to focus on the economic benefits that a majority Tory government could deliver for the country after Brexit.

“Imagine the relief the whole nation will feel if we do this — if a Conservative majority is returned on the 12th of December so we can get Brexit done,” Mr Johnson was to say in the West Midlands.

“Uncertainty ended, investment unlocked, a nation moving forward once again.’’

The manifesto called Get Brexit Done, Unleash Britain’s Potential highlights the stark differences between the Tories against Labour on Brexit and tax.

Mr Johnson has promised to bring the Brexit deal back to parliament before Christmas so that the divorce from the EU will happen by the end of January.

The influence of the Tory campaign’s Australian manager, Isaac Levido, is reflected in Mr Johnson’s pitch to support voters’ aspirations, as compared to ­Labour’s high tax, re-nationalisation, left-wing policies.

Mr Johnson has promised a triple tax lock: ruling out any rises in income tax, national insurance and VAT for five years. He will cut net migration using an Australian-style points-based system, increase the funding of medical research and free up additional doctor appointments.

He was to pledge the country would be carbon neutral by 2050 and ban the export of plastics to developing countries if they cannot dispose of the waste properly. He will also back an insulation program to cut energy bills.

He would also increase childcare funding and police numbers.

The Tories are also looking at local issues in which to make up ground, wanting a basic service to be provided during strikes, which will appeal most immediately to Liberal Democrat and commuter belt areas in London, where train employees are planning a month-long strike in the lead up to Christmas.

The latest polls show the Tories on between 42 and 47 per cent and Labour on 28 per cent. This translates to a majority of more than 60 seats if the polling figures are uniform across the nation.

But a worry for the Tories is the downward momentum in Lib Dems support. Leader Jo Swinson grates on female voters and despite the Lib Dems insisting it would revoke Brexit on day one, the electorate is starting to gravitate to the two big parties. The Lib Dems are polling 12 per cent, down from 16 per cent, and Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party is on less than 5 per cent.

Under Britain’s first past the post system, any split in the ­Remainer vote helps the Tories.

Political scientist John Curtice has warned the Tories’ seemingly comfortable poll lead would soon be reduced if the Remain vote ­coalesces behind Labour, rather than be split with the Lib Dems. Sir John believes the shift in the Libs Dems vote to Labour has been so far matched by the Tories squeeze on the Brexit Party. But he warned tactical voting could cost the Tories up to 20 seats.

There appears to be a weighting in the polls that favours older voters with polling companies ­believing younger people will not turn out in large numbers — which skews the numbers in favour of the Tories. The Tories are also mindful that just a few weeks out from the 2017 snap election called by Theresa May, the party had a big lead, only to be surprised by minority government.

Mr Farage said Labour was bombing because of party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s decision at the weekend to take a neutral position on Brexit as a prime minister in the event of a second referendum. “I think, frankly, people would say just come down on one side or the other and I think my feeling is the Labour campaign is bombing,’’ he said.