Johnson V Corbyn: The Verdict

Tweeting yesterday, Guido Fawkes lamented that while the Tories are down in the polls on the same period during the last election, Labour is gathering momentum. Far from killing Jeremy Corbyn's chances, so far Boris Johnson's shown an inability to seal the deal. The opposition were supposed to be hopelessly divided, and with the semi-capitulation of Nigel Farage, getting a majority was supposed to be a formality. And yet here we are, as uncertain this time as last time.

The head-to-head format plays to the political dominance of the two parties. No chance of a third party interloper stealing the show, but it is a risk for Johnson. Lack of detail, bumbling and blustering, hazy and evasive, there is no speaker or Commons convention to save his blushes. And as for Corbyn, he is by now well-practised at these sort of things having not only seen off a plethora of opponents over the years, but was even little troubled by Andrew Neil and Jeremy Paxman. How then did they fare?

Both men opened with statements they stuck with throughout the debate. For Corbyn this election was about what kind of future you want, and promised a fairer country in which wealth and power is shared. This is versus a decade of Tory failure on health, the environment, the economy, and Brexit. Johnson for his part said we were having this election because of the deadlocked parliament. His priority is to get Brexit done. He has a deal ready to go, which is approved by all 635 Tory candidates (neglecting to mention signing up was a condition for standing), and then get on with other issues people care about. Dither and delay, and two referendums is all Labour offers.

Battle lines drawn, we moved straight into the first question which was about, you guessed it, Brexit. The questioner asked what they could say to reassure her that we won't be talking about this forever? Johnson reiterated his promise that we will come out on 31st Jan, which is in sharp contrast to Labour dither and delay. Corbyn responded that Labour's priority is to negotiate a credible leave option in three months, and then hold a referendum in six. By contrast, far from getting things done it will take seven years to negotiate a trade deal with the USA and years for a new arrangement with the EU. And on delaying matters, Johnson voted against Theresa May's deal twice before spending more time negotiating his own even worse plan. And Johnson's response? All he could do was bang on about how Corbyn would vote in Labour's mooted referendum. Sensibly, Jez refused to be drawn allowing him to reiterate again and again that Labour's policy is a second vote. Johnson might think he came off better in the exchange, but for those flirting with the LibDems in key marginals the Prime Minister gave Corbyn multiple opportunities to tell them what Labour's Brexit policy is. Well done that man.

Asked about whether the Tories would stick to the 2020 deadline for the end of the transition period, Johnson batted away expert concerns - rooted in actual history - and said a trade deal wouldn't take long because we have alignment with the EU already. I'm getting the nostalgia chills. Remember when Johnson's friends said Brexit would be easy? In his response, Corbyn waved about redacted documents concerning UK-US trade deal talks and how they showed American companies would be given full market access to the NHS.

On the union, they were asked if it was worth sacrificing for Brexit. A pertinent question considering the answer from Tory party members is an emphatic yes. Jez said Johnson's deal imperils the union with Northern Ireland by drawing a trade barrier down the Irish Sea. Brazenly dismissing this fact of his actual deal, Johnson argued his deal takes the UK out of the EU together. Whereas the real danger is from a Labour government who would make an arrangement with the SNP and willingly concede another independent referendum for doing so. Corbyn immediately ruled this out, and challenged the SNP not to back Labour's programme at Westminster. And besides, coming back at more repetitive jibes from Johnson, "we've had nine years of chaotic coalitions already".

Then came the question every politician dreads: how can we trust you? Seeing how political debate under their respective leaderships had become so toxic, how can anyone have faith in your integrity and bring us back together? Johnson conceded that trust in politics had corroded, but this is because parliament refusing to honour that promise of implementing the result of the EU referendum, and Labour are actively blocking Brexit. The best way to restore trust is to get it done and move on. Replying, Corbyn said trust is something that has to be earned. Politicians have to listen and good leadership is about listening to people from all kinds of backgrounds and putting their ideas into practice. You measure the character of a leader by how they bring people together, not divide them. Integrity and honesty is a sticky wicket as far as Johnson is concerned, and so he talked about his record: 20,000 extra police officers, upgrading 20 hospitals and building 40 new hospitals (a demonstrable lie), uprating the living wage, getting Brexit sorted. Corbyn replied it was important to be clear about what you plan to do, and so Labour is clear on the EU and all the spending commitments have full costings in the grey book accompanying the manifesto. Therefore, when he was asked about anti-semitism he came across as the passionate anti-racism campaigner he's always been. Johnson on the other hand was asked specifically about truth telling and honesty, and deflected - clumsily - onto the "complete failure in Labour on anti-semitism and Brexit". Luckily for him he was not picked up on this egregious question avoidance.

Asked about the future of the NHS, Jeremy Corbyn talked about his friend, Jayne, who passed away Monday morning. She was admitted and filmed her experience and had to wait eight hours for treatment because no one was available to see her. This is a common experience with stressed staff and lacking facilities. Johnson for his part talked about the NHS, abstractly, as a most brilliant thing. They were putting £34bn in, and were pledged to building 40 hospitals (that lie again ...), a plan for tens of thousands of nurses and 6,000 more GPs. Replying, Corbyn said the NHS was suffering its worst A&E performance ever, was reeling under 33,000 unfilled vacancies, and we've seen the NHS taken to court by billionaires for not handing them health contracts. Johnson pretended innocence by claiming the Tories haven't and wouldn't put the health service up for sale. The Tories will continue to fund it with a strong economy and protect, and nothing would be more ruinous than Labour's plan for a four-day week. Corbyn quickly came back with how a shorter working week, which would apply across society, would actually improve health and wellbeing.

Following a scrappy round on spending, we got quick fire questions. Asked if the monarchy is fit for purpose, Corbyn coyly replied it "needs a bit of improvement". Johnson on the other hand said they were "beyond reproach". On Prince Andrew, Corbyn said that before we spend time talking about him we should be discussing the victims of Epstein's abuse first. Johnson mumbled something about letting the law take its course. On favourite foreign leader, Johnson said the EU27 while Corbyn mentioned António Guterres, the present Secretary General of the UN. And on climate change, Johnson said it was a "colossal issue" and Corbyn said it was a massive issue for everyone. As he started talking about the effects on the poor in the developing world, the Tory-supporting sections of the audience started getting restless and called out. If anything was to help mobilise the green-minded voters ummin and ahhing about voting ...

And that was it. Summing up, Corbyn said you've seen the real choice at this election, and so if you're not registered you should go online and do so now. He said this was a once in a generation election to tackle the climate emergency, create jobs and rebuild industry. "Vote for hope and vote for Labour on !2th December." Johnson agreed the choice was very simple - get Brexit done or vote for a groundhog year. And because Corbyn couldn't answer his questions, it shows he's unfit to be Prime Minister.

In my view, Corbyn performed better because he's simply better versed in this kind of format. But there was nothing there that would have disappointed those set on voting for the Tories. Johnson had a simple script of sticking with Brexit, talking about the (non-existent) strong economy, and rubbishing Labour as ditherers and Brexit frustraters. Johnson certainly made a mistake by allowing Corbyn to put over Labour's supposedly complex Brexit position in terms so simple that even ardent "Corbyn-is-a-Brexiteer" LibDems can understand it.

Was it job done, then? Corbyn will certainly have reminded many who voted Labour in 2017 that, actually, the bloke they had a punt on back then is still the same and cares about the issues they care about. One certainly hope tonight's performance has won many of them back.