The Liberal Democrats have described Boris Johnson as a "lying charlatan", after his LBC interview today in which he once again misled voters and failed to come clean over key issues facing the country.
The party has highlighted ten lies and mistruths from Johnson's LBC interview:
1. 50,000 new nurses: Johnson continues to peddle the Tory fantasy that they will recruit 50,000 new nurses. He clearly canât do basic maths when 19,000 of this figure is comprised by nurses who already work in the NHS. On top of this, figures earlier this week revealed that 1,116 EU nurses have left the NHS so far this year and EU staff at Johnson's local hospital are feeling anxiety over their future here because of Brexit.
2. 40 new hospitals: The Tories are not going to build 40 new hospitals. Johnson admitted today that re-building an old hospital will be classified as a new one. The pledge is simply false.
3. Trade deals: Johnson claimed that there are up to a dozen trade deals ready to go after Brexit. Given the Conservatives have abjectly failed to rollover the trade deals it said it would over the past three years, he just cannot be trusted. Liam Fox promised 40 trade deals, instead the Tories have only delivered 18.
4. Social care: Johnson claimed the ÂŁ1 billion of funding the Tories have announced for social care will stop people having to sell their home to pay for care. But this money is simply a sticking plaster for the day-to-day operation of our social care system which is at breaking point. He has no plan for a long-term solution.
5. Comments on single mothers: Johnson claimed that the quotations used of his insulting and offensive comments on single mothers were distorted, even though he has a history of misogynistic and sexist comments. He plays fast and loose with his words and it has real damaging consequences.
6. Free press: The day after the Tories petulantly threatened to review Channel 4âs licence, Johnson claimed he wants to protect a free press. The Tories have also refused to allow a Mirror reporter onto their campaign bus. Trying to intimidate the media like this is straight out of Donald Trumpâs playbook and has no place in an open and inclusive democracy.
7. Cutting business rates: Johnson said that the Tories will cut business rates in the next Budget. But his manifesto promises a review. Which is it? Liberal Democrats have promised to scrap business rates and replace them with a commercial landowner levy.
8. Working class people: Boris Johnson said he doesnât care that Dominic Cummings thinks the Tories have a problem with working class people. It comes after a Spectator column from Johnson surfaced in which he called working class men "drunk, criminal and feckless."
9. Police cuts: Johnson denied that the police cuts in London were the fault of the Conservative Government. But the Tories have drastically cut police numbers, leading the Home Office to admit that the cuts had âlikely contributedâ to the rise in serious violent crime.
10. Greggs: Boris Johnson previously said he was âmade of Greggsâ. But given he couldn't name the price of a sausage roll, it would appear he's never set a foot in one.
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Ed Davey commented:
âThis interview has exposed yet again how Boris Johnson canât be trusted and is simply not fit for the office of Prime Minister.
"Whether it was on nurses, hospitals or Brexit, Johnson spent an hour lying through his teeth.
âGiven this performance itâs little wonder he chickened out of last nightâs Channel 4 debate and is now trying to duck out of an interview with Andrew Neil.
âVoters do not have to vote for this lying charlatan, there is another choice. The Liberal Democrats are the only party that can stop Boris, stop Brexit and build a brighter future."
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