Labour and Conservatives trade blows at the start of their general election campaigns

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn are hitting the General Election campaign trail as they trade blows in the run-up to the pre-Christmas poll.

The prime minister blamed his failure to live up to his “do or die” promise to deliver Brexit on Halloween on the Labour leader, while Corbyn hit out at the “corrupt” British system of doing business.

As the UK braced itself for a bitter winter election campaign ahead of the December 12 poll, Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan cited the “abuse” she had received as she became the latest high profile figure to stand down at the election.

Johnson previously pledged that he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than extend Brexit beyond 31 October. As the General Election campaign cranked into gear, the PM is due to say: “Today should have been the day that Brexit was delivered and we finally left the EU.

“But, despite the great new deal I agreed with the EU, Jeremy Corbyn refused to allow that to happen – insisting upon more dither, more delay and more uncertainty for families and business.”

Corbyn said the “failure” to secure Brexit by 31 October was Johnson’s and “his alone”:

Boris Johnson has spent months promising we'd leave the EU today. The failure to do so is his and his alone. Labour will get Brexit sorted by giving the people the final say within six months with the choice of a credible leave deal or remain. And we'll carry out what you decide.

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) October 31, 2019

In his first major stump speech of the countdown to the pre-Christmas political clash, Corbyn will hit out at the “tax dodgers, bad bosses, big polluters, and billionaire-owned media holding our country back”.

Corbyn will use the speech in London to “call out” people like the media baron Rupert Murdoch, and the Duke of Westminster.

He will say that “the elite” are scared of the British people, which is why “they’ll throw everything” at Labour in the upcoming election.

Corbyn will say: “This election is a once-in-a-generation chance to transform our country, take on the vested interests holding people back and ensure that no community is left behind.

Meanwhile, Morgan became the latest high profile female Tory to quit frontline politics.

Announcing her decision not to run in the election, Morgan cited the abuse she had received as an MP.

She said: “But the clear impact on my family and the other sacrifices involved in, and the abuse for, doing the job of a modern MP can only be justified if, ultimately, Parliament does what it is supposed to do – represent those we serve in all areas of policy, respect votes cast by the electorate and make decisions in the overall national interest.”