BORIS Johnson forecast the UK will still be together in 10 years as he mocked Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit position and attacked the prospect of the SNP propping up a minority Labour government when he unveiled the Tories’ General Election manifesto yesterday.

In an address in Telford that lasted just 14 minutes, the Prime Minister repeatedly pledged “to get Brexit done” and poked fun at the Labour leader over his commitment to take a “neutral stance” on leaving the European Union and act as an “honest broker”.

In one joke targeting both the Labour leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Johnson asked his audience: “Can you imagine the negotiations that would take place if the Corbyn-Sturgeon coalition were to come in? What on Earth are they supposed to think in Brussels?”

“Bonjour Monsieur Corbyn,” Johnson went on, adopting a French accent. “Tell us about this deal that you want. What do you mean you don’t really want it? What do you mean you don’t really believe in it, you’re not going to advocate it?”

Later, he added: “And in 10 years time I confidently prophesy that we people will be passionately proud of their Scottish identity, and their Welsh and Northern Irish, and yes their English identity. And that will be a great thing.

“But we will also all be in a proud strong and whole United Kingdom, more united than ever, flying that red white and blue Union flag that represents the best of our values, from democracy and the rule of law.”

He went on: “Do you want to wake up on Friday 13th December and find a nightmare on Downing Street, a Corbyn-Sturgeon coalition of chaos? I say let’s go carbon neutral by 2050 and Corbyn neutral by Christmas!”

During his speech Johnson did not say what he would do if the First Minister asked for powers to hold a second independence referendum next year. However, the 59-page manifesto stopped short at ruling out a temporary transfer of powers to hold a new plebiscite.

The document states: “We are opposed to a second independence referendum and stand with the majority of people in Scotland, who do not want to return to division and uncertainty. Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP promised that the 2014 referendum would be a ‘once in a generation’ vote and the result was decisive. We believe that outcome should be respected.”  The Tory manifesto also includes: A “triple tax lock” with no increases in income tax south of the border, national insurance and VAT for five years An additional 20,000 police officers and 50,000 extra nurses south of the border with the return of nurse bursaries, which were scrapped by the Tories in 2016 £1 billion of additional funding for social care in every year of the next Parliament An Australian-style points based system to control immigration after Britain has left the EU A £1 billion boost for “wraparound” childcare after school time and during the holidays Maintaining the pensions triple lock, winter fuel payment and the older person’s bus pass £2 billion for the “biggest ever” pothole repair programme as part of the national infrastructure strategy lScrapping NHS hospital car parking charges in England for staff working night shifts, the disabled and the terminally ill and their families.

A noticeable omission from the document was a tax cut for middle income earners, promised by Johnson in the Tory leadership contest, which would have involved raising the higher income tax threshold from £50,000 to £80,000.

Scottish Tory interim leader Jackson Carlaw said the Conservative spending commitments would mean £3.1 billion of Barnett consequentials over four years due to Scotland.  Responding to the Tory manifesto launch, the First Minister said: “The Tories’ panicky obsession with the SNP shows they are running scared of the verdict of the people of Scotland in this election. Scottish votes could hold the key to locking Boris Johnson out of Downing Street for good – but only if voters unite behind the SNP candidates who can beat him. “ Corbyn tweeted: “This is the billionaires’ manifesto. They bought it. You’ll pay for it.”