'PM Corbyn would be catastrophic!’ Leadsom explains why working classes should vote Tory

Britons will head to the polls tomorrow in what has been branded “the most important election of a generation” as both parties are clearly divided on Brexit and spending on public services. Last month, YouGov polls put Boris Johnson in a commanding position with the Labour Party set to lose 43 of 76 Labour-Conservative battleground seats, but updated polls now suggest Jeremy Corbyn has gained significant ground with that number dropping to 29. The updated figures mean that tomorrow’s election could hinge on whether Mr Johnson can break down Labour’s notorious red wall across the north of England and Wales as well as the Midlands.

Today, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Andrea Leadsom, has claimed only the Tories can now truly represent these voters – many of whom backed the Leave campaign in the 2016 EU referendum.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, she said: “With former Labour MP’s like Ian Austin and Ivan Lewis coming out in support of Boris Johnson and the Conservatives in this election, it is clear that Jeremy Corbyn no longer represents those he claims to stand for.

“A Corbyn government would be catastrophic for ordinary people. 

“He wants to ignore the public’s vote on Brexit – forcing further uncertainty for families and business. 

“His spending and borrowing policies would cost every taxpayer £2,400 a year, would force businesses out of Britain or out of business altogether, and would destroy this country’s economy.

“The Conservatives are the party that represents working people. 

“We’re the only party that’s promising to get Brexit done so that we can focus on the priorities of the British people and give more support to our schools, healthcare, police and businesses.”

It comes as 15 former Labour MPs, including Mr Austin and Mr Lewis have clubbed together to sabotage Labour with a full-page advertisement published in various local newspapers across the UK.

The advert, published by the anti-extremism campaign group “Mainstream”, was headlined: “Thinking of voting Labour? Think again.”

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Mr Austin and Mr Lewis’ names were joined by Gisela Stuart, Ann Coffey, Louise Ellman, Rob Flello, Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie, Tom Levitt, Michael McCann, Joan Ryan, Gavin Shuker and John Woodcock.

The advert said: “Everyone wants a safer, fairer society. But in this election the Labour Party is set to deliver the opposite.

“We were all lifelong Labour voters and all former Labour MPs.

“We are voting for different parties at this election, but we have all come to the difficult decision not to vote Labour.”

The advert warned about the rise of anti-Semitism in Labour ranks under Mr Corbyn’s leadership and accused him of being “weak on national security”.

It added: “We know it’s a hard decision for Labour supporters to make. It was for us too.

“But millions of people who have voted Labour all their lives now think the risk of Jeremy Corbyn getting into Number 10 is too great.”

Ms Leadsom’s comments echo that of Mr Johnson’s earlier today, when he admitted the contest “could not be tighter”.

The Prime Minister told Sky News: “This could not be more critical, it could not be tighter.

“I’m just saying to everybody the risk is very real that we could tomorrow be going into another hung parliament, that’s more drift, more dither, more delay, more paralysis for this country.”