Campaign highlights: Johnson pledges Brexit vote as ‘early Christmas present’

Boris Johnson pledged to “get Brexit done” and reunite the country as he launched the Tory General Election manifesto.

The Prime Minister promised a programme of investment for the NHS and the police while freezing key tax rates.

Meanwhile, Labour promised to compensate an estimated 3.7 million women who believed they lost out financially due to changes in the state pension age, and the DUP hinted at a new alliance.

Here are some of the highlights of Sunday’s campaign trail:

– The Tories launched their manifesto

Boris Johnson pledged to “get Brexit done” and reunite the country as he unveiled the Conservative Party’s manifesto.

The Prime Minister promised a programme of investment for the NHS and the police while freezing key tax rates.

He sought to characterise the election contest as a battle between “retrograde destructive socialism” under Labour and “sensible one nation Conservatism” under the Tories.

– Michael Gove does not always agree with Dominic Cummings

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was shown a clip of Boris Johnson’s aide Mr Cummings speaking in 2017, in which he said Tory MPs largely do not care about poor people or the NHS, adding that the public has “cottoned on to that”.

Responding to the clip, Mr Gove told The Andrew Marr Show: “He’s wrong about that. There are a number of occasions where I’ve disagreed with Dominic on this issue and some other matters as well.

“I’m very happy to look at our record in government.”

– There could be a huge vote in the House of Commons before Christmas

Boris Johnson is promising to bring back his Brexit deal to Parliament before Christmas if the Tories are returned to power on December 12.

The Prime Minister described his decision to reintroduce the Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) – ratifying his Brexit deal with Brussels – in December as an “early Christmas present” for voters fed up with the wrangling over Britain’s departure from the EU.

He said he wants families to enjoy their turkey dinner “free from the seemingly unending Brexit box-set drama”.

– Millions of women born in the 1950s will be compensated under Labour plans

Labour is promising to compensate an estimated 3.7 million women who believed they lost out financially due to changes in the state pension age if the party wins the General Election.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the payments were to settle a “historical debt of honour” to the women born in the 1950s.

The party said the payout could amount to £58 billion over five years.

– The DUP could potentially support a Labour Government – without Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister

DUP leader Arlene Foster has acknowledged there are others in the Labour Party, with different positions from Mr Corbyn, who she could consider working with.

In that situation, she said her party would judge any successor to Mr Corbyn against the DUP’s election blueprint for Northern Ireland, and whether the new leader’s vision was good for the region.

Ms Foster says she could see no circumstance in which her party would support a minority Labour administration with Mr Corbyn as prime minister.

Tweet of the day

The Conservative manifesto was launched, with promises that the Tories would “get Brexit done” as well as ploughing money into the NHS and police.

The most discussed moment online was the party’s U-turn on the decision to scrap nursing bursaries six years ago. Now, Boris Johnson is promising to provide nursing students with an annual grant of £5,000-£8,000.

The announcement coincided with the news that more than 3,000 staff have left the NHS since the Brexit referendum.

Picture of the day

Video of the day

Boris Johnson: Let’s go Corbyn-neutral by Christmas

What’s next?

• Boris Johnson will be in Wales.

• Jeremy Corbyn will campaign in the Midlands.

• Chuka Umunna will give a speech on Liberal Democrat foreign policy.

• Nicola Sturgeon will be interviewed by Andrew Neil.