British <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/uk-election-what-boris-johnsons-victory-means-for-britains-place-in-the-world-268495">Prime Minister Boris&nbsp;Johnson</a>&nbsp;will welcome 109 new Conservative lawmakers to parliament on Monday, promising to honour his election-winning pledges to get Brexit done as soon as possible and boost funding for the state health service.

After securing a commanding majority in last week's vote,&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;will seek to speed up approval by parliament of his withdrawal agreement with the European Union, and start ploughing money into health, education and the police.

The prime minister, who won over many traditional supporters of the main opposition Labour Party in northern and central England, has proclaimed he will lead a "people's government" and "repay the public's trust by getting Brexit done".

"This election and the new generation of MPs (members of parliament) that have resulted from Labour towns turning blue will help change our politics for the better," said a source in&nbsp;Johnson's Downing Street official residence.

"The PM has been very clear that we have a responsibility to deliver a better future for our country and that we must repay the public's trust by getting Brexit done."

Also watch:&nbsp;UK PM Boris Johnson promises the speedy Brexit, to happen before January 31

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The government will bring the Withdrawal Agreement Bill back to parliament on Friday, but it is not yet clear whether there will be a vote because it needs the agreement of the House of Commons' new speaker.

But with such a large majority, he is expected to get the bill through parliament by his deadline.

The priority is to leave the EU on January&nbsp;31 and then secure a trade agreement with the bloc before the end of next year,&nbsp;Johnson's spokesman said.

"We plan to start the process before Christmas and we will do so in the proper constitutional way in discussion with the speaker," he said, adding that the Brexit bill would reflect the agreement made with the EU.

In a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/queen-elizabeth-to-set-out-pm-johnsons-agenda-on-thursday-268326">Queen's Speech</a> on Thursday setting out his government's programme,&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;will also promise more funds for Britain's much-loved but struggling public health service - a pledge he plans to enshrine in law.

After more than three years of debate over Brexit,&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;wants to move quickly to try to unite a country riven by disagreements over how, when or whether Britain should <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-urges-healing-for-brexit-bound-britain-268237">leave the EU</a>. Towns, villages and even families have been fractured.

Brexit has also scrambled traditional party loyalties, with&nbsp;Johnson's Conservatives going into Thursday's election pledging a swift Brexit, in stark contrast to Jeremy Corbyn's Labour, which promised a second referendum on EU membership.

The election saw Labour suffer its worst result since 1935 as many of its supporters who wanted to leave the EU switched to the Conservatives. The opposition party is expected to appoint a new leader by early next year.

Johnson&nbsp;is keen to hold on to those voters who supported the Conservatives, many for the first time, and is likely to retool his government next year to deliver his election promises.

For now, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-will-repay-your-trust-uk-pm-johnson-tells-ex-labour-voters-on-trip-to-north-268312">prime minister</a> will appoint three new ministers to fill vacant positions and keep any changes to a minimum before Britain leaves the EU on January&nbsp;31.

"By getting Brexit done, this One Nation Conservative government will help this country move forward," the source said. "Our job is to serve the people of this country, and the people's government will deliver on the people's priorities."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will welcome 109 new Conservative lawmakers to parliament on Monday, promising to honour his election-winning pledges to get Brexit done as soon as possible and boost funding for the state health service.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will welcome 109 new Conservative lawmakers to parliament on Monday, promising to honour his election-winning pledges to get Brexit done as soon as possible and boost funding for the state health service. After securing a commanding majority in last week's vote, Johnson will seek to speed up approval by parliament of his withdrawal agreement with the European Union, and start ploughing money into health, education and the police. The prime minister, who won over many traditional supporters of the main opposition Labour Party in northern and central England, has proclaimed he will lead a "people's government" and "repay the public's trust by getting Brexit done". "This election and the new generation of MPs (members of parliament) that have resulted from Labour towns turning blue will help change our politics for the better," said a source in Johnson's Downing Street official residence. "The PM has been very clear that we have a responsibility to deliver a better future for our country and that we must repay the public's trust by getting Brexit done." Also watch: UK PM Boris Johnson promises the speedy Brexit, to happen before January 31 × The government will bring the Withdrawal Agreement Bill back to parliament on Friday, but it is not yet clear whether there will be a vote because it needs the agreement of the House of Commons' new speaker. But with such a large majority, he is expected to get the bill through parliament by his deadline. The priority is to leave the EU on January 31 and then secure a trade agreement with the bloc before the end of next year, Johnson's spokesman said. "We plan to start the process before Christmas and we will do so in the proper constitutional way in discussion with the speaker," he said, adding that the Brexit bill would reflect the agreement made with the EU. In a Queen's Speech on Thursday setting out his government's programme, Johnson will also promise more funds for Britain's much-loved but struggling public health service - a pledge he plans to enshrine in law. After more than three years of debate over Brexit, Johnson wants to move quickly to try to unite a country riven by disagreements over how, when or whether Britain should leave the EU. Towns, villages and even families have been fractured. Brexit has also scrambled traditional party loyalties, with Johnson's Conservatives going into Thursday's election pledging a swift Brexit, in stark contrast to Jeremy Corbyn's Labour, which promised a second referendum on EU membership. The election saw Labour suffer its worst result since 1935 as many of its supporters who wanted to leave the EU switched to the Conservatives. The opposition party is expected to appoint a new leader by early next year. Johnson is keen to hold on to those voters who supported the Conservatives, many for the first time, and is likely to retool his government next year to deliver his election promises. For now, the prime minister will appoint three new ministers to fill vacant positions and keep any changes to a minimum before Britain leaves the EU on January 31. "By getting Brexit done, this One Nation Conservative government will help this country move forward," the source said. "Our job is to serve the people of this country, and the people's government will deliver on the people's priorities."

Welcoming new lawmakers, PM Johnson vows a speedy Brexit

Northern Ireland elected more Irish nationalists to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-johnson-we-have-a-powerful-mandate-for-brexit-268022">Britain's parliament</a> than pro-British unionists for the first time on Friday, after the largest nationalist party Sinn Fein narrowly won the final of the region's 18 seats.

That meant Sinn Fein kept its seven seats and the resurgent fellow pro-Irish SDLP won two, combining to pass the Democratic Unionist Party, which fell from 10 seats to eight.

The cross-community Alliance Party took the final seat, adding to the majority of anti-Brexit MPs after its share of the total vote rocketed by almost 10 per cent.

A first since the partition of Ireland in 1921, the result led to increased calls from Sinn Fein for a vote to split from the rest of the United Kingdom, as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-beckons-as-uks-johnson-coasts-to-commanding-win-267999">Prime Minister Boris Johnson</a> won a resounding majority across the union.

Northern Ireland elected more Irish nationalists to Britain's parliament than pro-British unionists for the first time on Friday, after the largest nationalist party Sinn Fein narrowly won the final of the region's 18 seats.

Northern Ireland elected more Irish nationalists to Britain's parliament than pro-British unionists for the first time on Friday, after the largest nationalist party Sinn Fein narrowly won the final of the region's 18 seats. That meant Sinn Fein kept its seven seats and the resurgent fellow pro-Irish SDLP won two, combining to pass the Democratic Unionist Party, which fell from 10 seats to eight. The cross-community Alliance Party took the final seat, adding to the majority of anti-Brexit MPs after its share of the total vote rocketed by almost 10 per cent. A first since the partition of Ireland in 1921, the result led to increased calls from Sinn Fein for a vote to split from the rest of the United Kingdom, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a resounding majority across the union.

In a first, Irish nationalists overtake unionists at UK election

What happens to Britain in case of no clear election result?

Britain's opposition Labour Party will hold a rally outside an Amazon depot on Saturday as it highlights its promise to target multinational firms it accuses of dodging taxes and cheating workers should it win next month's general election.

In its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ready-for-change-britains-labour-unveils-radical-manifesto-263627">manifesto launched</a> on Thursday, Labour unveiled a plan to spend almost 83 billion pounds ($106 billion) on a programme of widespread nationalisation and free public services with the revenue coming from taxes on high earners and corporations.

Also watch:&nbsp;Labour Party's 'Divide &amp; Rule' Manifesto

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Labour said its "Fair Tax Programme" would ensure the City of London financial district, big businesses and those who dodged tax paid their share.

"Huge multinational companies often act as if the rules we all live by don't apply to them. They use loopholes to claim they don't owe tax and cynically push their workers to the limit," Labour leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-pm-johnson-and-labour-leader-corbyn-battle-it-out-on-first-televised-debate-brexit-still-at-large-263259">Jeremy Corbyn</a> will say outside the Amazon depot in Yorkshire, northern England.

"The next Labour government will challenge head-on the tax and wage cheat culture of so many multinational companies, who use their power and our weak laws to rip off both the taxpayer and their workers," Corbyn will say, according to extracts of his planned comments released by his office.

Amazon said Corbyn's claims were false.

"The government wrote the tax laws and they are designed to encourage investment, and we are investing heavily in creating jobs and infrastructure across the UK - more than 18 billion pounds since 2010," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.

Labour is lagging Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party by about 10 points or more in the polls but it hopes that targetting "vested interests" will win over voters ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December&nbsp;12 election</a>.

"Jeremy Corbyn is lashing out at businesses because he is desperate to distract from the fact that he has no credible plan to get Brexit done," Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly said.

The party has earmarked tech firms such as Amazon, Alphabet's Google, and Facebook for additional taxes, saying it would bring in measures to stop multinationals avoiding tax through profit-shifting schemes. It said this would bring in 6.3 billion pounds in 2023-4.

Other planned measures include establishing an inquiry into the finance sector, introducing a 20 per cent&nbsp;Offshore Company Property Levy, and scrapping non-domiciled status, which allows some people resident in Britain to limit the tax they pay.&nbsp;

Britain's opposition Labour Party will hold a rally outside an Amazon depot on Saturday as it highlights its promise to target multinational firms it accuses of dodging taxes and cheating workers should it win next month's general election.

Britain's opposition Labour Party will hold a rally outside an Amazon depot on Saturday as it highlights its promise to target multinational firms it accuses of dodging taxes and cheating workers should it win next month's general election. In its manifesto launched on Thursday, Labour unveiled a plan to spend almost 83 billion pounds ($106 billion) on a programme of widespread nationalisation and free public services with the revenue coming from taxes on high earners and corporations. Also watch: Labour Party's 'Divide & Rule' Manifesto × Labour said its "Fair Tax Programme" would ensure the City of London financial district, big businesses and those who dodged tax paid their share. "Huge multinational companies often act as if the rules we all live by don't apply to them. They use loopholes to claim they don't owe tax and cynically push their workers to the limit," Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will say outside the Amazon depot in Yorkshire, northern England. "The next Labour government will challenge head-on the tax and wage cheat culture of so many multinational companies, who use their power and our weak laws to rip off both the taxpayer and their workers," Corbyn will say, according to extracts of his planned comments released by his office. Amazon said Corbyn's claims were false. "The government wrote the tax laws and they are designed to encourage investment, and we are investing heavily in creating jobs and infrastructure across the UK - more than 18 billion pounds since 2010," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. Labour is lagging Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party by about 10 points or more in the polls but it hopes that targetting "vested interests" will win over voters ahead of the December 12 election. "Jeremy Corbyn is lashing out at businesses because he is desperate to distract from the fact that he has no credible plan to get Brexit done," Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly said. The party has earmarked tech firms such as Amazon, Alphabet's Google, and Facebook for additional taxes, saying it would bring in measures to stop multinationals avoiding tax through profit-shifting schemes. It said this would bring in 6.3 billion pounds in 2023-4. Other planned measures include establishing an inquiry into the finance sector, introducing a 20 per cent Offshore Company Property Levy, and scrapping non-domiciled status, which allows some people resident in Britain to limit the tax they pay.

United Kingdom's Labour vows action on 'tax and wage cheat' multinationals

Twitter accused Britain's governing Conservatives on Wednesday of misleading the public by rebranding themselves as fact-checkers during a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-labour-leader-face-off-in-first-election-debate-263179">live TV election debate,</a> fuelling concerns about trust in politics.

The Tories also drew complaints from rival parties after renaming their press office Twitter account "factcheckUK" during Prime Minister Boris Johnson's clash with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday night.

The account fired off real-time rebuttals during the prime-time debate in what the Conservative party argued was a necessary corrective to Labour's "nonsense" claims.

But a Twitter spokeswoman warned that rules were in place to "prohibit behaviour that can mislead people, including those with verified accounts".

"Any further attempts to mislead people by editing verified profile information, in a manner seen during the UK election debate, will result in decisive corrective action," she said.

As in other countries, social media is proving to be one of the key battlegrounds in Britain ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December 12 election</a>, but it can also be a conduit for rumour, misdirection and "fake news".

Watch:&nbsp;United Kingdom's political system explained

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The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, on Wednesday warned that "we all have a responsibility to speak accurately, to challenge falsehoods when we hear them, and to be careful to separate facts from opinion".

There are particular concerns in Britain after years of misleading claims, broken promises and toxic arguments about the country's tortuous exit from the European Union.

The government has yet to publish a report into concerns of Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum vote, despite its completion months ago.

And Johnson himself has a history of lying, including in the 2016 campaign.&nbsp;

He also drew criticism for refusing to acknowledge he would have to delay <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/brexit-extension-how-much-will-it-actually-cost-the-uk-to-leave-the-eu-211410">Brexit</a> beyond October 31 for long after it became obvious.

For his part, Corbyn is accused of hiding his true views on Brexit and of betraying party members who accuse him of not doing enough to address anti-Semitism.

In a sign of the times, the studio audience in Tuesday's debate laughed at Corbyn when he said his Brexit position was clear, and also at Johnson when he insisted that the truth was important.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab played down the move to rebrand the @CCHQPress account during Tuesday's debate, saying it was part of the "cut and thrust" of social media.

"We've had all sort of nonsense thrown at the Conservatives, we're going to be in the process... of having a really good instant rebuttal," he told the BBC.

He noted that the words CCHQ were underneath the factcheckUK brand, and insisted: "No-one who looked at it for more than a split second would have been fooled."

Asked about whether voters would be concerned, Raab said he had been out campaigning and "no-one gives a toss about the social media cut and thrust".

But an independent fact-checking charity Full Fact said it was "inappropriate and misleading" for a party press office to take on the moniker of a fact-checking site.

"They weren't putting out accurate information, they were putting out party lines, unlike a serious fact-checker giving sources," chief executive Will Moy told BBC radio.

Tom Brake, an MP with the smaller opposition Liberal Democrats, said the tactic was "straight out of Donald Trump&nbsp;or Putin's playbook".&nbsp;

"The Tories are now resorting to deliberately misleading the public," he added.

Johnson's party has previously been criticised for putting out a video of a top Labour figure talking about Brexit, which had been edited to make him appear confused.

Labour MP David Lammy said the fact-check row showed "what disdain this party and this government has for the truth".

"The Electoral Commission must investigate and punish this blatant attempt to deceive the public," he said.

An Electoral Commission spokesman said it did not have a role in regulating election campaign content.

But he added: "We repeat our call to all campaigners to undertake their vital role responsibly and to support campaigning transparency."

Twitter accused Britain's governing Conservatives on Wednesday of misleading the public by rebranding themselves as fact-checkers during a live TV election debate, fuelling concerns about trust in politics.

Twitter accused Britain's governing Conservatives on Wednesday of misleading the public by rebranding themselves as fact-checkers during a live TV election debate, fuelling concerns about trust in politics. The Tories also drew complaints from rival parties after renaming their press office Twitter account "factcheckUK" during Prime Minister Boris Johnson's clash with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday night. The account fired off real-time rebuttals during the prime-time debate in what the Conservative party argued was a necessary corrective to Labour's "nonsense" claims. But a Twitter spokeswoman warned that rules were in place to "prohibit behaviour that can mislead people, including those with verified accounts". "Any further attempts to mislead people by editing verified profile information, in a manner seen during the UK election debate, will result in decisive corrective action," she said. As in other countries, social media is proving to be one of the key battlegrounds in Britain ahead of the December 12 election, but it can also be a conduit for rumour, misdirection and "fake news". Watch: United Kingdom's political system explained × The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, on Wednesday warned that "we all have a responsibility to speak accurately, to challenge falsehoods when we hear them, and to be careful to separate facts from opinion". There are particular concerns in Britain after years of misleading claims, broken promises and toxic arguments about the country's tortuous exit from the European Union. The government has yet to publish a report into concerns of Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum vote, despite its completion months ago. And Johnson himself has a history of lying, including in the 2016 campaign. He also drew criticism for refusing to acknowledge he would have to delay Brexit beyond October 31 for long after it became obvious. For his part, Corbyn is accused of hiding his true views on Brexit and of betraying party members who accuse him of not doing enough to address anti-Semitism. In a sign of the times, the studio audience in Tuesday's debate laughed at Corbyn when he said his Brexit position was clear, and also at Johnson when he insisted that the truth was important. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab played down the move to rebrand the @CCHQPress account during Tuesday's debate, saying it was part of the "cut and thrust" of social media. "We've had all sort of nonsense thrown at the Conservatives, we're going to be in the process... of having a really good instant rebuttal," he told the BBC. He noted that the words CCHQ were underneath the factcheckUK brand, and insisted: "No-one who looked at it for more than a split second would have been fooled." Asked about whether voters would be concerned, Raab said he had been out campaigning and "no-one gives a toss about the social media cut and thrust". But an independent fact-checking charity Full Fact said it was "inappropriate and misleading" for a party press office to take on the moniker of a fact-checking site. "They weren't putting out accurate information, they were putting out party lines, unlike a serious fact-checker giving sources," chief executive Will Moy told BBC radio. Tom Brake, an MP with the smaller opposition Liberal Democrats, said the tactic was "straight out of Donald Trump or Putin's playbook". "The Tories are now resorting to deliberately misleading the public," he added. Johnson's party has previously been criticised for putting out a video of a top Labour figure talking about Brexit, which had been edited to make him appear confused. Labour MP David Lammy said the fact-check row showed "what disdain this party and this government has for the truth". "The Electoral Commission must investigate and punish this blatant attempt to deceive the public," he said. An Electoral Commission spokesman said it did not have a role in regulating election campaign content. But he added: "We repeat our call to all campaigners to undertake their vital role responsibly and to support campaigning transparency."

Twitter accuses UK of misleading public in election row

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/labour-partys-brexit-policy-explained-263619">Labour Party</a> leader Jeremy Corbyn will unveil his opposition party's election manifesto on Thursday, setting out how in government he plans to transform Britain with "the most radical and ambitious plan" in decades.

With three weeks before Britain votes in its second election in just over two years, Corbyn will press his message that only Labour can challenge the status quo, fighting for ordinary people against "bankers, billionaires and the establishment".

Lagging in the polls, the 70-year-old socialist will hope his message of change will drown out criticism of his Brexit stance, which even some in his party say lacks the clarity of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's vow to "get Brexit done".

Both parties have promised to end economic austerity and relax the purse strings for stretched public services before the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December&nbsp;12 election</a>, which will determine how, when and even whether Britain's departure from the European Union happens.

Trying to combat criticism from Johnson's Conservative Party over Labour's spending plans, Corbyn will say how he plans to pay for his manifesto, which includes scrapping university fees, reducing the working week and nationalising utilities.

"This is a manifesto of hope. A manifesto that will bring real change. A manifesto full of popular policies that the political establishment has blocked for a generation," Corbyn will say, according to excerpts of his speech.

"Those policies are fully costed, with no tax increases for 95 per cent&nbsp;of taxpayers."

Held after three years of negotiations to leave the European Union, the December election for the first time will show how far <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/brexit-why-is-there-an-irish-backstop-188953">Brexit </a>has torn traditional political allegiances apart and will test an electorate increasingly tired of voting.

Most polls put the Conservative Party in front, but few are able or willing to predict a victor in the election.

Labour has put at the forefront of its campaign its attack on "vested interests", taking aim at Johnson, who was educated at England's elite Eton public school, has considerable personal wealth and whose party has wealthy backers.

Corbyn has also said it will move to reverse privatisations began by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, promising to nationalise rail, mail, water, and BT's broadband network to provide free internet for all.

Those pledges have been mocked by the Conservatives, with Johnson calling plans to nationalise broadband as a "crazed Communist scheme".

Corbyn is defiant.

"Over the next three weeks, the most powerful people in Britain and their supporters are going to tell you that everything in this manifesto is impossible," he will say.

"But they know we mean what we say. They know we will deliver our plans, which is why they want to stop us being elected."

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will unveil his opposition party's election manifesto on Thursday, setting out how in government he plans to transform Britain with "the most radical and ambitious plan" in decades.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will unveil his opposition party's election manifesto on Thursday, setting out how in government he plans to transform Britain with "the most radical and ambitious plan" in decades. With three weeks before Britain votes in its second election in just over two years, Corbyn will press his message that only Labour can challenge the status quo, fighting for ordinary people against "bankers, billionaires and the establishment". Lagging in the polls, the 70-year-old socialist will hope his message of change will drown out criticism of his Brexit stance, which even some in his party say lacks the clarity of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's vow to "get Brexit done". Both parties have promised to end economic austerity and relax the purse strings for stretched public services before the December 12 election, which will determine how, when and even whether Britain's departure from the European Union happens. Trying to combat criticism from Johnson's Conservative Party over Labour's spending plans, Corbyn will say how he plans to pay for his manifesto, which includes scrapping university fees, reducing the working week and nationalising utilities. "This is a manifesto of hope. A manifesto that will bring real change. A manifesto full of popular policies that the political establishment has blocked for a generation," Corbyn will say, according to excerpts of his speech. "Those policies are fully costed, with no tax increases for 95 per cent of taxpayers." Held after three years of negotiations to leave the European Union, the December election for the first time will show how far Brexit has torn traditional political allegiances apart and will test an electorate increasingly tired of voting. Most polls put the Conservative Party in front, but few are able or willing to predict a victor in the election. Labour has put at the forefront of its campaign its attack on "vested interests", taking aim at Johnson, who was educated at England's elite Eton public school, has considerable personal wealth and whose party has wealthy backers. Corbyn has also said it will move to reverse privatisations began by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, promising to nationalise rail, mail, water, and BT's broadband network to provide free internet for all. Those pledges have been mocked by the Conservatives, with Johnson calling plans to nationalise broadband as a "crazed Communist scheme". Corbyn is defiant. "Over the next three weeks, the most powerful people in Britain and their supporters are going to tell you that everything in this manifesto is impossible," he will say. "But they know we mean what we say. They know we will deliver our plans, which is why they want to stop us being elected."

Ready for change? Britain's Labour unveils 'radical' manifesto

Britain's Boris Johnson and&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-presses-election-rival-jeremy-corbyn-to-explain-brexit-stance-260104">Jeremy Corbyn</a> go head-to-head Tuesday in their&nbsp;first&nbsp;TV&nbsp;debate&nbsp;of the&nbsp;election&nbsp;campaign, facing scrutiny over their plans for Brexit and more public spending.

Johnson, who took over as the&nbsp;leader&nbsp;of the governing Conservatives in July, has held a double-digit lead over&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;in opinion polls for weeks, making the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December 12&nbsp;election</a>&nbsp;his to lose.

Corbyn meanwhile is seeking to repeat the success of the last campaign in 2017, when his promise to end austerity and deliver change "for the many, not the few" fired up voters and denied the Tories an outright win.

The two men have sparred only a handful of times in parliament, making the prime-time&nbsp;debate, broadcast on ITV television at 8:00&nbsp;pm&nbsp;(2000 GMT), a rare opportunity to see how they engage up close.

Both sides will also be hoping the hour-long clash could put the boosters on what has so far been a slow-burning&nbsp;election&nbsp;campaign.

Johnson fired the starting gun with a letter to Corbyn overnight questioning his plans for Britain's looming departure from the European Union.

The Conservatives are campaigning on a pledge to "get Brexit done", promising to end years of political disagreements and several delays by leaving the EU on January 31.

Corbyn has promised to renegotiate Johnson's exit deal and hold another referendum, appealing to around half of voters who still oppose the shock result of the&nbsp;first&nbsp;2016&nbsp;vote&nbsp;for Brexit.

But the&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;leader&nbsp;has yet to say how he would campaign in that&nbsp;vote, and Johnson warned in his letter that he offered only more "dither and delay".

Corbyn meanwhile has sought to shift attention to the impact of a decade of Conservative spending cuts, promising a swathe of nationalisations and huge investment in public services.

Labour&nbsp;has attacked the wealthy elites, and sought to link them to Johnson's Tories.

The party claimed Tuesday that 48 of Britain's 151 billionaires have donated more than £50 million to the Tories since 2005,&nbsp;10 of them giving money since Johnson became&nbsp;leader.

Finance spokesman John McDonnell said that having that much money was "obscene", adding: "We know whose side Boris Johnson is on,&nbsp;the billionaires, the bankers and big business."

Johnson warns that&nbsp;Labour&nbsp;would cripple the economy,&nbsp;although he also has his own big spending plans, with more money for hospitals, schools and police, as well as infrastructure including broadband.

The two leaders will answer questions submitted by viewers in front of a live audience, a format that had been challenged by smaller parties.

The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats went to court to protest their exclusion from the&nbsp;debate, but the High Court rejected their case on Monday.

Although the next prime minister is almost certainly going to be either Johnson or Corbyn, the role of smaller parties could be crucial.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnsons-election-campaign-launch-marred-by-gaffe-resignation-doctored-video-260463">The Conservatives</a> failed to win a majority of MPs in 2017, forcing them to agree an alliance with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Their arrangement collapsed over rows over Brexit, leaving Johnson without the support he needed to get his EU exit deal ratified by parliament.

This time, he has faced a challenge from Nigel Farage's hardline Brexit Party, although it has agreed not to field candidates in Tory-held seats.

Labour&nbsp;meanwhile is languishing so far behind the Conservatives that polling expert John Curtice, from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, has suggested it has almost zero chance of winning a majority.

But he noted Corbyn could still take power at the head of a loose coalition involving the SNP and Lib Dems, both of whom strongly oppose Brexit.

Britain's Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn go head-to-head Tuesday in their first TV debate of the election campaign, facing scrutiny over their plans for Brexit and more public spending.

Britain's Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn go head-to-head Tuesday in their first TV debate of the election campaign, facing scrutiny over their plans for Brexit and more public spending. Johnson, who took over as the leader of the governing Conservatives in July, has held a double-digit lead over Labour in opinion polls for weeks, making the December 12 election his to lose. Corbyn meanwhile is seeking to repeat the success of the last campaign in 2017, when his promise to end austerity and deliver change "for the many, not the few" fired up voters and denied the Tories an outright win. The two men have sparred only a handful of times in parliament, making the prime-time debate, broadcast on ITV television at 8:00 pm (2000 GMT), a rare opportunity to see how they engage up close. Both sides will also be hoping the hour-long clash could put the boosters on what has so far been a slow-burning election campaign. Johnson fired the starting gun with a letter to Corbyn overnight questioning his plans for Britain's looming departure from the European Union. The Conservatives are campaigning on a pledge to "get Brexit done", promising to end years of political disagreements and several delays by leaving the EU on January 31. Corbyn has promised to renegotiate Johnson's exit deal and hold another referendum, appealing to around half of voters who still oppose the shock result of the first 2016 vote for Brexit. But the Labour leader has yet to say how he would campaign in that vote, and Johnson warned in his letter that he offered only more "dither and delay". Corbyn meanwhile has sought to shift attention to the impact of a decade of Conservative spending cuts, promising a swathe of nationalisations and huge investment in public services. Labour has attacked the wealthy elites, and sought to link them to Johnson's Tories. The party claimed Tuesday that 48 of Britain's 151 billionaires have donated more than £50 million to the Tories since 2005, 10 of them giving money since Johnson became leader. Finance spokesman John McDonnell said that having that much money was "obscene", adding: "We know whose side Boris Johnson is on, the billionaires, the bankers and big business." Johnson warns that Labour would cripple the economy, although he also has his own big spending plans, with more money for hospitals, schools and police, as well as infrastructure including broadband. The two leaders will answer questions submitted by viewers in front of a live audience, a format that had been challenged by smaller parties. The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats went to court to protest their exclusion from the debate, but the High Court rejected their case on Monday. Although the next prime minister is almost certainly going to be either Johnson or Corbyn, the role of smaller parties could be crucial. The Conservatives failed to win a majority of MPs in 2017, forcing them to agree an alliance with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Their arrangement collapsed over rows over Brexit, leaving Johnson without the support he needed to get his EU exit deal ratified by parliament. This time, he has faced a challenge from Nigel Farage's hardline Brexit Party, although it has agreed not to field candidates in Tory-held seats. Labour meanwhile is languishing so far behind the Conservatives that polling expert John Curtice, from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, has suggested it has almost zero chance of winning a majority. But he noted Corbyn could still take power at the head of a loose coalition involving the SNP and Lib Dems, both of whom strongly oppose Brexit.

UK PM Boris Johnson, Labour leader face off in first election debate

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Wednesday declare that the UK can "end the groundhoggery of Brexit" if he wins next month's election, saying the rest of the world was wondering why so much time has been spent agonising over whether to leave the European Union.

Britons will <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">vote on December&nbsp;12</a> after parliament agreed to an early election, seeking to end three years of deep disagreement over Brexit that has sapped investors' faith in the stability of the world's fifth-largest economy and damaged Britain's international standing.

"The UK is admired and respected around the world but people are baffled by our debate on Brexit and they cannot understand how this great country can squander so much time and energy on this question and how we can be so hesitant about our future," Johnson will say at an electric vehicle manufacturer in the West Midlands, according to prepared remarks.

"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 said in an apparent reference to the 1993 movie Groundhog Day in which a TV weatherman finds himself reliving the same day over and over again.

Johnson, 55, hopes to win a majority to push through the last-minute Brexit deal he struck with the European Union last month after the bloc granted the third delay to the divorce that was originally supposed to take place on March 29. Most voters who took part in a June 2016 referendum voted in favour of the UK leaving the EU.

The first December election in Britain since 1923 will be one of the hardest to forecast in years. Brexit has scrambled voters' traditional loyalties and is giving smaller rivals a chance to challenge the two biggest parties, Johnson's Conservative Party and the left-of-centre Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn.

Opinion polls show the Conservatives are well ahead of Labour, but analysts caution the overshadowing issue of Brexit, which has divided both major parties and their voters, could confound conventional calculations.

Johnson will urge voters to back the Conservatives and say that if Labour is elected, they face the prospect of two more referendums, one on Britain's membership of the EU, and another on Scottish independence, which risks ripping apart the United Kingdom.

"We face a historic choice. At this election, the country can either move forwards with policies that will deliver years of growth and prosperity, or it can disappear into an intellectual cul-de-sac of far-left Corbynism," Johnson will say.

"We can honour the wishes of the people, or else we can waste more time."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Wednesday declare that the UK can "end the groundhoggery of Brexit" if he wins next month's election, saying the rest of the world was wondering why so much time has been spent agonising over whether to leave the European Union.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Wednesday declare that the UK can "end the groundhoggery of Brexit" if he wins next month's election, saying the rest of the world was wondering why so much time has been spent agonising over whether to leave the European Union. Britons will vote on December 12 after parliament agreed to an early election, seeking to end three years of deep disagreement over Brexit that has sapped investors' faith in the stability of the world's fifth-largest economy and damaged Britain's international standing. "The UK is admired and respected around the world but people are baffled by our debate on Brexit and they cannot understand how this great country can squander so much time and energy on this question and how we can be so hesitant about our future," Johnson will say at an electric vehicle manufacturer in the West Midlands, according to prepared remarks. "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 said in an apparent reference to the 1993 movie Groundhog Day in which a TV weatherman finds himself reliving the same day over and over again. Johnson, 55, hopes to win a majority to push through the last-minute Brexit deal he struck with the European Union last month after the bloc granted the third delay to the divorce that was originally supposed to take place on March 29. Most voters who took part in a June 2016 referendum voted in favour of the UK leaving the EU. The first December election in Britain since 1923 will be one of the hardest to forecast in years. Brexit has scrambled voters' traditional loyalties and is giving smaller rivals a chance to challenge the two biggest parties, Johnson's Conservative Party and the left-of-centre Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn. Opinion polls show the Conservatives are well ahead of Labour, but analysts caution the overshadowing issue of Brexit, which has divided both major parties and their voters, could confound conventional calculations. Johnson will urge voters to back the Conservatives and say that if Labour is elected, they face the prospect of two more referendums, one on Britain's membership of the EU, and another on Scottish independence, which risks ripping apart the United Kingdom. "We face a historic choice. At this election, the country can either move forwards with policies that will deliver years of growth and prosperity, or it can disappear into an intellectual cul-de-sac of far-left Corbynism," Johnson will say. "We can honour the wishes of the people, or else we can waste more time."

Boris Johnson to declare Britain can end 'the groundhoggery of Brexit'

Hackers hit Britain's two main political parties with back-to-back cyberattacks on Tuesday, sources told Reuters, attempting to force political websites offline with a flood of malicious traffic just weeks ahead of a national election.

The attacks come after Britain's security agencies have warned that Russia and other countries may attempt to disrupt the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December&nbsp;12 vote</a> with cyberattacks or divisive political messages on social media, a charge Moscow denies.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-labour-party-targeted-in-large-scale-cyber-attack-261584">opposition Labour Party</a> said on Tuesday morning it had "experienced a sophisticated and large-scale cyberattack on Labour digital platforms," but that the attack was repelled and no data was compromised.

Just hours later, the party's website and other online services came under a second digital bombardment, followed by a third attack on the website of the governing Conservative Party shortly before 1600 GMT, according to two people with knowledge of the matter and documents seen by Reuters.

The sources said there was currently nothing to link the attacks on either party to a foreign state.

One of sources said the attack on the Conservatives was larger and appeared to be conducted by different hackers, but did not take down any party websites.

Asked about the second attack, a Labour spokesman said: "We have ongoing security processes in place to protect our platforms, so users may be experiencing some differences. We are dealing with this quickly and efficiently."

A Conservative Party spokeswoman had no immediate comment and said she was unaware of the attack.

Britain goes to the polls on December&nbsp;12 in an election called by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to try to break the Brexit deadlock in parliament more than three years since the country voted to leave the European Union.

The country's National Cyber Security Centre, part of the GCHQ signals intelligence agency, said the first attack on Labour was a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack - a technique used by hackers to take down websites by overwhelming them with traffic.

The sources said the same technique had been used in the subsequent attacks against Labour and the Conservatives.

"DDoS attacks are a common form of attack used by a very wide range of attackers. Mitigation techniques are available and worked in this case," a NCSC spokesman said.

The nature of such attacks often makes it difficult to attribute responsibility to any particular group, he said.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the first attack on his party was successfully repelled by the party's defence systems when the digital assault began on Monday.

"But if this is a sign of things to come in this election, I feel very nervous about it all," he said. "Because a cyberattack against a political party in an election is suspicious and something one is very worried about."

Hackers hit Britain's two main political parties with back-to-back cyberattacks on Tuesday, sources told Reuters, attempting to force political websites offline with a flood of malicious traffic just weeks ahead of a national election.

Hackers hit Britain's two main political parties with back-to-back cyberattacks on Tuesday, sources told Reuters, attempting to force political websites offline with a flood of malicious traffic just weeks ahead of a national election. The attacks come after Britain's security agencies have warned that Russia and other countries may attempt to disrupt the December 12 vote with cyberattacks or divisive political messages on social media, a charge Moscow denies. The opposition Labour Party said on Tuesday morning it had "experienced a sophisticated and large-scale cyberattack on Labour digital platforms," but that the attack was repelled and no data was compromised. Just hours later, the party's website and other online services came under a second digital bombardment, followed by a third attack on the website of the governing Conservative Party shortly before 1600 GMT, according to two people with knowledge of the matter and documents seen by Reuters. The sources said there was currently nothing to link the attacks on either party to a foreign state. One of sources said the attack on the Conservatives was larger and appeared to be conducted by different hackers, but did not take down any party websites. Asked about the second attack, a Labour spokesman said: "We have ongoing security processes in place to protect our platforms, so users may be experiencing some differences. We are dealing with this quickly and efficiently." A Conservative Party spokeswoman had no immediate comment and said she was unaware of the attack. Britain goes to the polls on December 12 in an election called by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to try to break the Brexit deadlock in parliament more than three years since the country voted to leave the European Union. The country's National Cyber Security Centre, part of the GCHQ signals intelligence agency, said the first attack on Labour was a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack - a technique used by hackers to take down websites by overwhelming them with traffic. The sources said the same technique had been used in the subsequent attacks against Labour and the Conservatives. "DDoS attacks are a common form of attack used by a very wide range of attackers. Mitigation techniques are available and worked in this case," a NCSC spokesman said. The nature of such attacks often makes it difficult to attribute responsibility to any particular group, he said. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the first attack on his party was successfully repelled by the party's defence systems when the digital assault began on Monday. "But if this is a sign of things to come in this election, I feel very nervous about it all," he said. "Because a cyberattack against a political party in an election is suspicious and something one is very worried about."

Hackers hit UK political parties with cyber attacks

Britain has not yet published a parliamentary select committee report on alleged Russian meddling in British politics because of the necessary procedure, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's deputy finance minister said on Tuesday.

The report by parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) has been cleared by the security services but it has not yet been given approval for publication by Johnson's Downing Street office, meaning it is very unlikely to be released before a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-set-for-third-election-in-four-years-to-try-to-break-brexit-gridlock-258692">December&nbsp;12 election</a>.

"It is absolutely normal that reports like this go through a period of vetting which does take several weeks," deputy finance minister Rishi Sunak told ITV.

He said all donations to the Conservative party were transparent and fully in accordance with the rules.

Britain has not yet published a parliamentary select committee report on alleged Russian meddling in British politics because of the necessary procedure, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's deputy finance minister said on Tuesday.

Britain has not yet published a parliamentary select committee report on alleged Russian meddling in British politics because of the necessary procedure, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's deputy finance minister said on Tuesday. The report by parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) has been cleared by the security services but it has not yet been given approval for publication by Johnson's Downing Street office, meaning it is very unlikely to be released before a December 12 election. "It is absolutely normal that reports like this go through a period of vetting which does take several weeks," deputy finance minister Rishi Sunak told ITV. He said all donations to the Conservative party were transparent and fully in accordance with the rules.

Necessary procedure: Britain on Russia meddling report delay

No Brexit, no worry: Britain kicks off election campaign

Britain went to the polls on Thursday for a snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May ahead of Brexit after a campaign shadowed by terrorism.

May called the vote in April, when opinion poll ratings for her and her centre-right Conservative party were sky high, presenting herself as the strong leader to take Britain into Brexit talks.

But Islamist attacks in London and Manchester have put her under pressure over her six years as interior minister, while campaign missteps have dented her reputation as a safe pair of hands.

Meanwhile opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, an anti-war campaigner deemed unelectable by a majority of his own lawmakers, has run an energetic campaign, promising change and an end to austerity.

While May has been touring target seats around the country, delivering slogan-heavy speeches to small groups of hand-picked activists, Corbyn has drawn large crowds to open-air rallies.

Speaking to reporters on her plane during a final burst of campaigning on Wednesday, May insisted she had no regrets about calling the vote three years early.

&quot;I&#39;ve enjoyed the campaign,&quot; she said. &quot;There is a very clear choice for people when they come to vote.&quot;

Asked what would constitute success, the 60-year-old vicar&#39;s daughter said: &quot;I never predict election results.&quot;

Corbyn, a 68-year-old leftwinger who has never held ministerial office and defied the odds to win the Labour leadership two years ago, urged supporters in Glasgow to think big.

&quot;Wouldn&#39;t it be great if on Friday we woke up to... a Labour government that will be a government for all of our communities across the whole of the country,&quot; he said.

&#39;Little confidence&#39;&nbsp;

It is the third time Britain has gone to the polls in two years, twice for a general election and once for the EU referendum, and voter fatigue appeared to be an issue among the early voters.

&quot;I don&#39;t think it has really been a campaign, we don&#39;t know anything about what they are going to do about Brexit, it&#39;s been pointless really,&quot; said Joe Kerney, 53, at a polling station in Hackney, east London.

&quot;I have little confidence in anybody,&quot; added voter Simon Bolton, 41. &quot;I think we lack quality in terms of who we can choose, it is very limited.&quot;

The election is May&#39;s first since taking office after Britons voted by 52 percent to leave the European Union.

May has accused Corbyn of being unprepared for negotiations set to begin on June 19, and unwilling to curb mass migration -- a key driver of the Brexit vote.

But her government&#39;s record on cutting funding for health and education have also featured strongly in the campaign, to the benefit of Labour.

The Conservatives were also damaged by a manifesto plan for elderly care that would see some pay more.

Then came the suicide bombing at a Manchester concert on May 22, which killed 22 people including seven children, followed by Saturday&#39;s knife and van attack in London, which left eight dead.

Campaigning was twice suspended in the aftermath of the attacks, which May blamed on &quot;evil&quot; Islamist ideology.

The Conservatives have always been strong on defence and security, and they have sought to exploit Corbyn&#39;s anti-nuclear stance and his alleged past support for Irish paramilitaries.

But May also faced uncomfortable questions over cuts to police numbers during her time as interior minister, amid accusations that the attackers in Manchester and London Bridge had slipped through the intelligence net.

Security tightened&nbsp;

Security on voting day was reviewed following the London attack, with the city&#39;s Metropolitan Police force implementing a &quot;specialist and highly flexible operation&quot; which it said could be deployed as needed.

Polling stations, many located in schools and community centres, opened at 7:00am (0600 GMT) and will close at 10:00pm, with 49.6 million registered voters electing a total of 650 MPs to parliament.

Overall turnout in the 2015 general election was 66.4 percent.

An exit poll will give an indication of the outcome, although final results will not emerge until early Friday.

As the Conservatives and Labour trade blows, the smaller pro-European Liberal Democrats and the pro-Brexit UK Independence Party (UKIP) have failed to gain much traction.

Britain went to the polls on Thursday for a snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May ahead of Brexit after a campaign shadowed by terrorism.

Britain went to the polls on Thursday for a snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May ahead of Brexit after a campaign shadowed by terrorism. May called the vote in April, when opinion poll ratings for her and her centre-right Conservative party were sky high, presenting herself as the strong leader to take Britain into Brexit talks. But Islamist attacks in London and Manchester have put her under pressure over her six years as interior minister, while campaign missteps have dented her reputation as a safe pair of hands. Meanwhile opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, an anti-war campaigner deemed unelectable by a majority of his own lawmakers, has run an energetic campaign, promising change and an end to austerity. While May has been touring target seats around the country, delivering slogan-heavy speeches to small groups of hand-picked activists, Corbyn has drawn large crowds to open-air rallies. Speaking to reporters on her plane during a final burst of campaigning on Wednesday, May insisted she had no regrets about calling the vote three years early. "I've enjoyed the campaign," she said. "There is a very clear choice for people when they come to vote." Asked what would constitute success, the 60-year-old vicar's daughter said: "I never predict election results." Corbyn, a 68-year-old leftwinger who has never held ministerial office and defied the odds to win the Labour leadership two years ago, urged supporters in Glasgow to think big. "Wouldn't it be great if on Friday we woke up to... a Labour government that will be a government for all of our communities across the whole of the country," he said. 'Little confidence' It is the third time Britain has gone to the polls in two years, twice for a general election and once for the EU referendum, and voter fatigue appeared to be an issue among the early voters. "I don't think it has really been a campaign, we don't know anything about what they are going to do about Brexit, it's been pointless really," said Joe Kerney, 53, at a polling station in Hackney, east London. "I have little confidence in anybody," added voter Simon Bolton, 41. "I think we lack quality in terms of who we can choose, it is very limited." The election is May's first since taking office after Britons voted by 52 percent to leave the European Union. May has accused Corbyn of being unprepared for negotiations set to begin on June 19, and unwilling to curb mass migration -- a key driver of the Brexit vote. But her government's record on cutting funding for health and education have also featured strongly in the campaign, to the benefit of Labour. The Conservatives were also damaged by a manifesto plan for elderly care that would see some pay more. Then came the suicide bombing at a Manchester concert on May 22, which killed 22 people including seven children, followed by Saturday's knife and van attack in London, which left eight dead. Campaigning was twice suspended in the aftermath of the attacks, which May blamed on "evil" Islamist ideology. The Conservatives have always been strong on defence and security, and they have sought to exploit Corbyn's anti-nuclear stance and his alleged past support for Irish paramilitaries. But May also faced uncomfortable questions over cuts to police numbers during her time as interior minister, amid accusations that the attackers in Manchester and London Bridge had slipped through the intelligence net. Security tightened Security on voting day was reviewed following the London attack, with the city's Metropolitan Police force implementing a "specialist and highly flexible operation" which it said could be deployed as needed. Polling stations, many located in schools and community centres, opened at 7:00am (0600 GMT) and will close at 10:00pm, with 49.6 million registered voters electing a total of 650 MPs to parliament. Overall turnout in the 2015 general election was 66.4 percent. An exit poll will give an indication of the outcome, although final results will not emerge until early Friday. As the Conservatives and Labour trade blows, the smaller pro-European Liberal Democrats and the pro-Brexit UK Independence Party (UKIP) have failed to gain much traction.

In shadow of terror, Britons vote in key election

Although Britain&#39;s economic growth is ticking along in the run-up to the general election, flat wages and the government&#39;s austerity programme continue to bite and cause anger among those left behind.

A world away from the glistening skyscrapers of London&#39;s City finance district, normal life for some resembles that depicted in last year&#39;s Cannes winner &quot;I, Daniel Blake&quot;.

The British film&#39;s protagonists, in the northeastern English city of Newcastle, battle with the impact of cuts to social services in place since 2010, struggling to make ends meet and relying on food banks.

Widening living standards is a hot topic in the looming general election due June 8, and one that analysts say played a crucial role in last year&#39;s shock referendum vote in favour of the country&#39;s exit from the European Union.

The Brexit verdict has been framed by some commentators as a reflection of the social divide between the haves and the have-nots in one of the world&#39;s richest economies.

Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May, who called the general election to strengthen her hand in the coming Brexit talks, claims she wants a society that works for everyone, albeit one that is not free of austerity nor social spending cuts.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party and who has gained ground in recent opinion polls, argues that the yawning gap between rich and poor needs to be addressed.

While official statistics show that Britain&#39;s unemployment rate sits at a 42-year low of 4.6 per cent, many workers find themselves on low wages and short-term contracts.

Median household income stood at &pound;26,300 (30,100 euros, $33,700) in the year to March 2016, just four per cent above the pre-financial crisis value of ten years ago.

Statistics also show that income inequality in Britain has actually declined slightly since the 2008 crisis, reversing a sharp increase in previous decades, as higher-income households saw their earnings fall more in real terms.

However, the statistics mask the disproportionate effect of income stagnation on the lowest earners, with the Resolution Foundation, a think-tank, warning that inequality in living standards could reach levels not seen for 30 years.

Meanwhile the Equality Trust states that in 2017, the country&#39;s 1,000 richest people will together own more wealth than that held by 40 per cent of the poorest households combined.

Small-jobs economy

&quot;Record numbers of people visited food banks last year, millions are locked out of a decent home, and two-thirds of children in poverty are in working households,&quot; Equality Trust&#39;s executive director Wanda Wyporska said this month.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 6.5 per cent of the British population, or 3.9 million people, was living in poverty in 2014, the most recent year for which data are available.

To survive, many Britons, especially the youngest, have to take on more than one low-paid and often low-skilled job at a time, scrambling in what is often called the &quot;gig economy&quot;.

At the same time, the number of so-called &quot;zero hour&quot; contracts is breaking records at 900,000 jobs. Such positions guarantee neither a number of hours to be worked nor a fixed rate of pay.

As a direct consequence, the TUC union calculates that over the last seven years, UK wages have not kept pace with inflation -- the longest period of time since the 1870s.

&quot;British workers have endured the longest pay squeeze since Victorian times,&quot; said TUC General Secretary Frances O&#39;Grady. &quot;And now even more pain is on the horizon.&quot;

Ahead of the election, May has vowed to improve workers&#39; rights, cap energy prices, lift minimum earnings and raise the threshold at which income tax is paid.

But she has been forced to reverse a manifesto commitment on capping social care costs following heavy public criticism and opposition from within her Conservative Party.

Corbyn, meanwhile, has pledged to hike taxes on the well-off, renationalise key industries like railways, scrap university tuition fees and pump cash into the state-run National Health Service.

His critics say Labour has not properly assessed the cost of those proposals.

(AFP)

Widening living standards is a hot topic in the general election due to be held on June 8

Although Britain's economic growth is ticking along in the run-up to the general election, flat wages and the government's austerity programme continue to bite and cause anger among those left behind. A world away from the glistening skyscrapers of London's City finance district, normal life for some resembles that depicted in last year's Cannes winner "I, Daniel Blake". The British film's protagonists, in the northeastern English city of Newcastle, battle with the impact of cuts to social services in place since 2010, struggling to make ends meet and relying on food banks. Widening living standards is a hot topic in the looming general election due June 8, and one that analysts say played a crucial role in last year's shock referendum vote in favour of the country's exit from the European Union. The Brexit verdict has been framed by some commentators as a reflection of the social divide between the haves and the have-nots in one of the world's richest economies. Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May, who called the general election to strengthen her hand in the coming Brexit talks, claims she wants a society that works for everyone, albeit one that is not free of austerity nor social spending cuts. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party and who has gained ground in recent opinion polls, argues that the yawning gap between rich and poor needs to be addressed. While official statistics show that Britain's unemployment rate sits at a 42-year low of 4.6 per cent, many workers find themselves on low wages and short-term contracts. Median household income stood at £26,300 (30,100 euros, $33,700) in the year to March 2016, just four per cent above the pre-financial crisis value of ten years ago. Statistics also show that income inequality in Britain has actually declined slightly since the 2008 crisis, reversing a sharp increase in previous decades, as higher-income households saw their earnings fall more in real terms. However, the statistics mask the disproportionate effect of income stagnation on the lowest earners, with the Resolution Foundation, a think-tank, warning that inequality in living standards could reach levels not seen for 30 years. Meanwhile the Equality Trust states that in 2017, the country's 1,000 richest people will together own more wealth than that held by 40 per cent of the poorest households combined. Small-jobs economy "Record numbers of people visited food banks last year, millions are locked out of a decent home, and two-thirds of children in poverty are in working households," Equality Trust's executive director Wanda Wyporska said this month. According to the Office for National Statistics, 6.5 per cent of the British population, or 3.9 million people, was living in poverty in 2014, the most recent year for which data are available. To survive, many Britons, especially the youngest, have to take on more than one low-paid and often low-skilled job at a time, scrambling in what is often called the "gig economy". At the same time, the number of so-called "zero hour" contracts is breaking records at 900,000 jobs. Such positions guarantee neither a number of hours to be worked nor a fixed rate of pay. As a direct consequence, the TUC union calculates that over the last seven years, UK wages have not kept pace with inflation -- the longest period of time since the 1870s. "British workers have endured the longest pay squeeze since Victorian times," said TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady. "And now even more pain is on the horizon." Ahead of the election, May has vowed to improve workers' rights, cap energy prices, lift minimum earnings and raise the threshold at which income tax is paid. But she has been forced to reverse a manifesto commitment on capping social care costs following heavy public criticism and opposition from within her Conservative Party. Corbyn, meanwhile, has pledged to hike taxes on the well-off, renationalise key industries like railways, scrap university tuition fees and pump cash into the state-run National Health Service. His critics say Labour has not properly assessed the cost of those proposals. (AFP)

Gulf in living standards at heart of UK election battle

Ben Stokes hammered an unbeaten 103 under pressure to lead Rising Pune Supergiant to a five-wicket win over Gujarat Lions that consolidated their fourth position in the&nbsp;IPL, here tonight. 
 
Chasing a modest 162 to win, the hosts were reeling at 42 for four when the England batsman came out firing on all cylinders to ensure that the good job done by the bowlers does not go waste. 
 
Stokes braved cramps towards the end of the chase and batted with determination to help RPS take two points and enhance their Play-offs chances. 
 
Leg-spinner Imran Tahir had rocked the Lions&#39; batting order with a three-wicket burst to help his side bundle out the rivals for a modest 161 in 19.5 overs. 
 
The Lions were off to a flying start with Brendon McCullum (45) and Ishan Kishan (31) adding 55 quick runs for the first wicket but lost wickets in a heap to lose way. 
 
Tahir not only broke the opening stand but also got rid of Aaron Finch (13) and Dwyane Smith (0) in successive balls. The South African spinner conceded 27 runs in his four overs. 
 
Lions could not exploit a good batting wicket and if it was not for Dinesh Karthik&#39;s sensible 29-run knock, they would not have put on board a respectable total. 
 
Paceman Jaydev Unadkat (3/29) also took three wickets to wipe off the tail. 
 
Left-arm paceman Pradeep Sangwan provided the Lions a perfect start by scalping dismissing both Ajinkya Rahane (4) and Steve Smith (4) in the very first over. 
 
Soon it came 42 for four when Manoj Tiwary (0) was trapped by Basil Tahmpi and Rahul Tripathi (6) was run out. 
 
From here, Stokes joined forces with MS Dhoni and the duo added 76 runs for the fifth-wicket to frustrate the Lions. 
 
Stokes&#39; onslaught began when he smashed Ravindra Jadeja for two sixes to collect 15 runs from the 10th over and never looked back. Dhoni played the second-fiddle as the former India captain was happy rotating the strike and finding a boundary here and there. 
 
RPS needed 60 off the final five overs. Stokes creamed off 16 runs from Dwayne Smith&#39;s 16th over but Dhoni hit one straight to McCullum in the next over by Thampi. 
 
Stokes, though, stayed till the end to take the side to finish line. His 103 came off 63 balls with seven fours and six sixes. 
 
RPS now have 12 points from 10 matches to be in fourth spot while Lions are sixth with six points. 
 
Earlier, Kishan took some time to get his eye in but made up for the dot balls by hitting a few big shots quite&nbsp;comfortably.

On&nbsp;the other end, McCulllum was on fire from the beginning, treating both spinners and pacers with disdain.&nbsp;Kishan lofted Jaydev Unadkat and Washington Sundar for sixes in the square leg region. Ben Stokes was introduced early into the attack but McCullum had no problems in finding boundaries. 
 
Lions raced to fifty in the sixth over but leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who bowled the last over in PowerPlay, brought relief for the hosts by scalping Kishan. 
 
The South African also succeeded in creating pressure on Lions batsmen by bowling dot balls and soon rival captain Suresh Raina was run out. 
 
Finch decided to take on Tahir and hammered him for a six over mid-wicket but the bowler had the last laugh as he caught and bowled the Australian. Tahir clean bowled Dwayne Smith with a googly in the next ball to stun the rival camp. 
 
Lions had 94 runs on the board at half-way mark but had lost four key batsmen. McCullum was being troubled by Ben Stokes and was hit on the shoulder. The Kiwi was though dismissed by Shardul Thakur after miscuing one off paceman. 
After that, James Faulkner (6) and Jadeja (19) too departed soon to leave Lions struggling.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

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Ben Stokes hammered an unbeaten 103 under pressure to lead Rising Pune Supergiant to a five-wicket win over Gujarat Lions that consolidated their fourth position in the IPL, here tonight. Chasing a modest 162 to win, the hosts were reeling at 42 for four when the England batsman came out firing on all cylinders to ensure that the good job done by the bowlers does not go waste. Stokes braved cramps towards the end of the chase and batted with determination to help RPS take two points and enhance their Play-offs chances. Leg-spinner Imran Tahir had rocked the Lions' batting order with a three-wicket burst to help his side bundle out the rivals for a modest 161 in 19.5 overs. The Lions were off to a flying start with Brendon McCullum (45) and Ishan Kishan (31) adding 55 quick runs for the first wicket but lost wickets in a heap to lose way. Tahir not only broke the opening stand but also got rid of Aaron Finch (13) and Dwyane Smith (0) in successive balls. The South African spinner conceded 27 runs in his four overs. Lions could not exploit a good batting wicket and if it was not for Dinesh Karthik's sensible 29-run knock, they would not have put on board a respectable total. Paceman Jaydev Unadkat (3/29) also took three wickets to wipe off the tail. Left-arm paceman Pradeep Sangwan provided the Lions a perfect start by scalping dismissing both Ajinkya Rahane (4) and Steve Smith (4) in the very first over. Soon it came 42 for four when Manoj Tiwary (0) was trapped by Basil Tahmpi and Rahul Tripathi (6) was run out. From here, Stokes joined forces with MS Dhoni and the duo added 76 runs for the fifth-wicket to frustrate the Lions. Stokes' onslaught began when he smashed Ravindra Jadeja for two sixes to collect 15 runs from the 10th over and never looked back. Dhoni played the second-fiddle as the former India captain was happy rotating the strike and finding a boundary here and there. RPS needed 60 off the final five overs. Stokes creamed off 16 runs from Dwayne Smith's 16th over but Dhoni hit one straight to McCullum in the next over by Thampi. Stokes, though, stayed till the end to take the side to finish line. His 103 came off 63 balls with seven fours and six sixes. RPS now have 12 points from 10 matches to be in fourth spot while Lions are sixth with six points. Earlier, Kishan took some time to get his eye in but made up for the dot balls by hitting a few big shots quite comfortably. On the other end, McCulllum was on fire from the beginning, treating both spinners and pacers with disdain. Kishan lofted Jaydev Unadkat and Washington Sundar for sixes in the square leg region. Ben Stokes was introduced early into the attack but McCullum had no problems in finding boundaries. Lions raced to fifty in the sixth over but leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who bowled the last over in PowerPlay, brought relief for the hosts by scalping Kishan. The South African also succeeded in creating pressure on Lions batsmen by bowling dot balls and soon rival captain Suresh Raina was run out. Finch decided to take on Tahir and hammered him for a six over mid-wicket but the bowler had the last laugh as he caught and bowled the Australian. Tahir clean bowled Dwayne Smith with a googly in the next ball to stun the rival camp. Lions had 94 runs on the board at half-way mark but had lost four key batsmen. McCullum was being troubled by Ben Stokes and was hit on the shoulder. The Kiwi was though dismissed by Shardul Thakur after miscuing one off paceman. After that, James Faulkner (6) and Jadeja (19) too departed soon to leave Lions struggling. (PTI)

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