JEREMY Corbyn has warned Boris Johnson that a general election "is coming" but not on the Prime Minister's terms, as the Labour leader effectively launched his campaign for an election he is yet to vote for.
The Labour leader’s move came as his ally, Len McCluskey, the Unite General Secretary, insisted trade unions would fight the Conservatives in hospitals, factories and across communities as they too geared up for what has been described as the “political fight of our lives” in the forthcoming general election.
Speaking at the annual TUC conference in Brighton, Mr Corbyn threatened to "unleash the biggest people-powered campaign we've ever seen".
He accused the PM of "running away from scrutiny" on the first day of Parliament's contentious five-week shutdown as the Brexit clock ticks down.
The speech came after Labour led the way to inflict yet another defeat on the Prime Minister – his sixth in six votes - by blocking his second call for a general election in the Commons.
Opposition leaders have not supported the votes, which needed the backing of two-thirds of MPs, because they fear an election could be used to force through a no-deal Brexit.
Mr Corbyn told union members: "No-one can trust the word of a prime minister, who is threatening to break the law to force through no-deal. So, a general election is coming but we won't allow Johnson to dictate the terms.
"And I can tell you this: We're ready for that election. We're ready to unleash the biggest people-powered campaign we've ever seen."
The Labour leader recommitted to a second referendum on Brexit, which he said would include a "credible option to Leave" as well as Remain.
He also accused the PM of cosying up to US President Donald Trump to get a "one-sided" trade deal with the US which would damage employment rights, the NHS and UK industry.
"A no-deal Brexit is really a Trump-deal Brexit," declared Mr Corbyn.
He accused Mr Johnson of "hijacking the referendum result to shift even more power and wealth to those at the top", as he painted the Tory leader and his Cabinet as "the Establishment".
The Labour leader also launched a series of policies on employment rights, vowing to put power "in the hands of workers".
The PM had already kicked off his unofficial election campaign with a visit to Yorkshire on Thursday, during which he re-announced his police recruitment drive.
But a general election is extremely unlikely until at least mid-November because of Mr Johnson's suspension of Parliament.
Shortly before the Commons rose for five weeks - meaning MPs return with just 17 days to the Brexit deadline - they voted 293 to 46 in favour of a snap election, falling short of the required super-majority.
Mr Johnson said he wanted to head to the polls next month to break the political deadlock and accused opposition parties of making "outrageous excuses" to delay a vote.
The PM is expected on Tuesday to continue to campaign for the election he is yet to have any success in triggering.
Meanwhile, Mr McCluskey, also addressing Congress, said the Conservative Government had "deliberately" divided the country.
The union chief condemned "a government that's spent the last nine years waging class war against the poor and has been incapable of offering any coherent industrial strategy".
He went on: "Only a transformative, radical Labour government can rebuild and reunite our communities and restore hope to those who feel abandoned by Westminster.
"The manufacturing crisis we're in the grip of has worsened with no-deal uncertainty, but it's about much more than Brexit."
Mr McCluskey claimed the UK's industrial base and communities had been "ravaged" and manufacturing industries "decimated".
He told delegates: "The crisis is the lasting impact of the biggest act of industrial sabotage ever seen.
"Sabotage that includes the anti-union laws and the dramatic changes made to collective bargaining amid wholesale market deregulation.
"The refusal of the Tories to engage with trade unionists as industry partners, to work together to scale the economic and industrial challenges is, frankly, astonishing.”
The Unite leader added: "We know who you are, Boris Johnson. We know your game, your wish to be Churchillian, rather than the Wreck-it Ralph that you are. We will fight you in our hospitals, we will fight you in our factories, we will fight you in our communities.
"Pick your beach, Prime Minister. We'll never surrender."
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