Boris Johnson sought to turn around his scandal-hit election campaign on Wednesday as he gave his first major speech, attacking Jeremy Corbyn for planning tax rises to fund “deranged” nationalisation and Nigel Farage for thriving on Brexit not happening.

The prime minister promised activists in Birmingham that he would get Brexit completed within weeks and spend next year focusing on the NHS, schools and other priorities, as he tried to draw a line under a disastrous few days for the Conservatives.

He attempted to reposition himself as leader of a “moderate, one nation Conservative” government. However, his campaign has already been overshadowed by a series of damaging blunders in recent days. His ally, Jacob Rees-Mogg, suggested that victims of the Grenfell Tower fire lacked common sense; and Alun Cairns, the Welsh secretary, resigned over his knowledge of a former aide’s role in allegedly sabotaging a rape trial.

Johnson is now facing calls to remove Cairns as a Conservative candidate, with the furore threatening to derail the Tory campaign in Wales.

The cabinet crisis erupted just as Johnson went to Buckingham Palace to discuss the dissolution of parliament with the Queen.

He later gave a speech on the steps of Downing Street insisting he had not wanted an election – and claiming he was “chewing my own tie” with frustration that Brexit had not yet happened. Read more

Also Read: Tories blocked from using Treasury to attack Labour plans

hw.jc