British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to accuse those trying to promote new referendums on Scottish independence and Britain’s relationship with the EU, including Labour’s leader Jeremy Corbyn and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, as engaging in “political self-obsession and onanism”, British media outlets report, citing text extracts released by the Conservative Party ahead of the prime minister’s West Midlands speech.
“We can honour the wishes of the people, or else we can waste more time, at the cost of a billion pounds per month, and have two more referendums, one on Scotland and one on the EU – an expense of spirit and a waste of shame, more political self-obsession and onanism”, Johnson will reportedly say in one of his first major election campaign speeches on Wednesday, according to the released abstracts.
“This is why I urge everybody undecided how to vote – imagine waking up on Friday 13 December after the election to find the Corbyn-Sturgeon coalition in Downing Street. They will ruin 2020 with two referendums, they will ruin the economy with out-of-control debt, they will put taxes up for everyone and, instead of an Australian points system, we’ll have uncontrolled and unlimited immigration”, British prime minister will reportedly warn.
He will reportedly also caution about the dangers of Britain disappearing into “an intellectual cul-de-sac of far left Corbynism”.
When approached for a comment following Boris Johnson’s use of the term “onanism”, one Labour source told The Independent that Johnson’s remarks constituted “obscure” and “crude insults”, but that the party was not disturbed by them.
“We’re not bothered by Johnson’s obscure, crude insults because we’ve got our eyes on the prize - real change for the many not the few”, the source said. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has not commented on his political opponent’s remarks.
The West Midlands speech is set to be Johnson’s most significant effort in the election campaign so far, although the Tory prime minister travelled to deliver addresses in Birmingham last week and in Wolverhampton on Monday.
During his upcoming address, which will take place at an electric vehicle manufacturer in the West Midlands on Wednesday, Johnson will also urge voters to end Brexit’s “groundhoggery”, a reference to the cult classic Groundhog Day movie where Bill Murray’s character endlessly relives the same day.
“If we can get a working majority, we can get parliament working for you, we can get out of the rut. We can end the groundhoggery of Brexit”, Johnson is set to argue.
British voters are heading to the polling stations on 12 December amid Boris Johnson’s bid to break the deadlock over his recently re-negotiated divorce terms with the European Union. The outcome of the vote is being regarded as the most unpredictable in the history of modern Britain, with Labour head Jeremy Corbyn pledging to put forward another referendum on the future Brexit deal if his party gains a majority in parliament. Some reports recently indicated that Britain’s intelligence services and the Foreign Office are worried about Jeremy Corbyn potentially winning the snap election, as his prime ministership could potentially put Britain’s national security at risk.