Boris Johnson's Conservatives achieve historic landslide election win

The prime minister will now move ahead with plans to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes questions during a news conference at the European Union leaders summit dominated by Brexit, in Brussels, Belgium October 17, 2019 (photo credit: REUTERS/TOBY MELVILLE)
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes questions during a news conference at the European Union leaders summit dominated by Brexit, in Brussels, Belgium October 17, 2019
(photo credit: REUTERS/TOBY MELVILLE)
The British Conservative Party has won the United Kingdom's general election with an historic landslide result.
The BBC is now forecasting that he will govern Parliament with a healthy majority of 76, giving him a comfortable platform on which to lead the UK out of the EU.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday morning, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson thanked voters who had swung across to the Conservatives from other parties. "You may have only lent us your vote, you may not think of yourself as a natural Tory, your hand may have quivered over the ballot paper, and you may intend to return to Labour," he said.

"If that is the case, I'm humbled that you have put your trust in me and you have put your trust in us. I and we will never take your support for granted. I will make it my mission to prove you right and to earn your support in the future."
Brexit was a key theme of his speech, as Johnson aimed to draw a line under the last few years of political stagnation in the UK, as MPs fought over the shape of Brexit.
"This election means that getting Brexit done is the irrefutable, irresistible, unarguable decision of the British people," he said. Underscoring that the win puts an end to discussions of a second Brexit referendum, he said it was "time to put a sock in the megaphone and give people some peace."
"Your voice has been heard and about time too," Johnson told voters. "We politicians have squandered the last three years. We will get Brexit done by the 31st January -  no ifs, no buts."
The government will take back control of Britain's law-making capabilities, Britain's borders, money, and trade, he said. He promised an Australian-style points-based immigration system. And, he quipped, "You voted to be carbon neutral by 2050 and we'll do it. You voted to be Corbyn neutral by Christmas and we'll do that too."
Clearly in a buoyant, jovial mood following the night's good news for his party and his leadership, Johnson rounded off: "Let's get Brexit done, but first, my friends, let's get breakfast done."
Appearing before the Prime Minister, Conservative minister Michael Gove MP thanked the British people for "comprehensively rejected Corbyn's politics of division, extremism, and antisemitism, and voted in record numbers for a prime minister who is dedicated to restoring trust in democracy by getting Brexit done."
Addressing Britain's Jewish population specifically, he added: "You have had to live in fear for months now, concerned that we would have a prime minister who trafficked in anti-Jewish rhetoric and embraced anti-Jewish terrorists. You should never have to live in fear again."
In what is seen as a crucial blow to Labour, the party lost many of their traditional heartlands – some of which, like Blyth Valley, have been exclusively in Labour hands for over half a century.
Johnson has pitched himself as a One Nation paternalist conservative, a brand pioneered by the Jewish Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli during his two terms between 1868 and 1880.
The British Sterling surged, hitting its strongest against the euro shortly after the poll results were released.
World leaders have congratulated Johnson on the win.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven said that the UK election results are clear, which would mean the Brexit separation will be pushed forward.

"Johnson's win over Corbyn is a blessing to Israel," wrote Likud MK Miki Zohar. "Despite several debatable stances of Johnson's on the Palestinians, we have an important partner who is in excellent contact with our prime minister."
"I never imagined that I'd be so happy about Labour's defeat," said Labor Party MK Itzik Shmuli.

The result is a major turnaround from the previous election, fought in 2017, which delivered a minority Conservative government under Prime Minister Theresa May. She stepped down in July of this year having failed in her efforts to get a Brexit deal through Parliament, handing the reins to Boris Johnson.
The party campaigned in this election under the slogan 'Get Brexit Done,' a mantra which has been personally championed by Johnson, one of the leaders of the Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum in 2016.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson lost her seat to the Scottish Union Party and will have to step down as leader.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has also said that he will not lead his party into the next election in five years' time, although he did not give any indication when he will step down.
Reuters contributed to this report.


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