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PM – Parliament ‘a vast improvement’ on predecessor
You could tell he was enjoying every moment. To a chorus from his MPs, Boris Johnson told Parliament: “We are going to get Brexit done!” In his first address since his election victory, he continued: “I think this Parliament is a vast improvement on its predecessor.” Before about 140 new MPs were sworn in for the first time, a meek Jeremy Corbyn congratulated the PM for winning the election, while offering his thoughts to those MPs who lost their seats. Earlier, Mr Johnson held a meeting of his “people’s Cabinet”, telling them they must work “24 hours a day” to deliver on the promises made by the Conservatives. Later, Michael Gove defended the PM’s decision to enshrine the end of the transition period in law, saying “deadlines concentrate minds”. The policy has not had a positive impact on the value of the pound.
Meanwhile, Labour leadership hopeful Emily Thornberry admitted three months before the general election she worried Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to take a position on Brexit could cost the party. In an interview with the BBC in September, due to be broadcast tonight, the shadow foreign secretary said a neutral position would “make it more difficult” to win an election. Labour’s failure led to a huge wave of new Tory MPs. The latest episode of Chopper’s Election Podcast sees two of them reveal how they went from selected to elected in just four weeks.
