General election latest: Boris Johnson bemoans chance of Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon 'nightmare' as leaders make final push before vote

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Jacob Jarvis8 December 2019
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Boris Johnson has bemoaned the idea of a Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon led coalition Government as he rallies for support ahead of the general election.

The Tory leader said the election was "closer than many people think" and suggested that if the SNP and Lib Dems win six more seats each, Mr Corbyn could then become prime minister.

"And this would mean another broken hung Parliament, with every day next year a Groundhog Day in Parliament," he wrote, in a letter published by the Mail on Sunday.

He described the concept of a Labour and SNP coalition a "Corbyn-Sturgeon nightmare", while he also said would prompt a "Groundhog Day nightmare" in Parliament.

Boris Johnson is rallying for support
PA

Meanwhile, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn spoke of people having "the chance to vote for hope".

As he vied for votes, he said the electorate has "the chance to grasp a once-in-a-generation opportunity for real change".

Hitting out at attacks from Mr Johnson, and the Tory leader's 'get Brexit done' motto, he said: "Boris Johnson’s Conservatives have offered nothing in this election but negativity and a hollow slogan that’s a fraud on the British people."

Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn
AFP via Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister and SNP leader, said that the "very future of Scotland" is at stake in the vote.

She argued that the vote on December 12 is an opportunity to stop Brexit and "put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands" by returning a majority of MPs from her party.

Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon
Getty Images

In pledges for the day, the Conservatives have outlined their immigration plans in more detail, in which they would introduce an Australia-style points based system.

Detailing their plan for after Brexit, the Conservatives said they would allocate points on a range of criteria.

They would then de facto place people into three categories.

Entrepreneurs, investors and those who have received awards in a qualifying field and have been endorsed as a recognised or emerging leader would receive fast-track entry, while there would be no cap on numbers.

The Liberal Democrats have pledged a £50 billion fund for infrastructure investment outside London, if they win power.

The party said Regional Rebalancing Programme would help tackle ingrained inequality across the UK.

The developments come as it emerges more than half of Labour Remain voters would "vote tactically" to stop a Tory victory where they live, new research shows.

Polling of more than 10,000 people carried out last week by Populus Data Solutions (PDS) shows Remain-backing voters could switch sides, in order to prevent a Conservative MP being elected in their constituency.

Independent crossbench peer Lord Cooper of Windrush, the chair of Populus and a former head of strategy for the Conservative Party ahead of their 2015 election victory, said this presents a problem for the PM, Mr Johnson.

He added: "With less than a week to go before polling day, two plain truths emerge from analysis of the polling.

"Firstly, there is absolutely no chance whatsoever of this election producing a majority in the House of Commons either for Jeremy Corbyn to be Prime Minister, or to pass the irresponsible and extreme elements of his agenda that worry so many mainstream voters.

"Secondly, as shown powerfully in this big new poll, if those who say they are willing in principle to vote tactically to avert hard Brexit actually do so, there is still a real chance of preventing it."

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