Boris Johnson has been branded a “pubescent nincompoop” who should “grow up” after he told Jeremy Corbyn to “man up” and back a snap election.
Yes, folks. This is where British politics is in 2019.
The prime minister and Labour leader are at loggerheads over when the next general election should be.
It is - of course - all connected to Brexit.
Johnson’s “do or die” pledge to take the UK out of the EU by October 31 has been knocked off course and he is demanding general election on December 12.
But Johnson needs two-thirds of MPs to back the idea so Labour also has to agree.
Corbyn, whose largely pro-EU MPs would rather thrash out Brexit than deal with a snap election, has said Johnson must take “no-deal off the table” first.
In an interview with ITV’s This Morning, Corbyn called the PM’s demands “very strange” and his choice of date “odd”.
Not to be outdone, Johnson then told Sky News Labour was “split from top to bottom” over the issue, adding: “Time for Corbyn – man up. Let’s have an election on December 12.”
This has not gone down well with MPs, with Labour’s Chi Onwurah calling it “hyper macho” and “over the top” and David Lammy calling the PM a “pubescent nincompoop”.
And members of the public were also less than impressed, pointing out that Johnson had been accused of “toxic” language in the past.
The PM was accused of misogyny for calling Corbyn a “big girl’s blouse” in the Commons during prime minister’s questions and after it was revealed he called David Cameron a “girly swot” in a leaked Cabinet note.
Johnson’s “man up” comments were also criticised as MP Ali McGovern revealed that she had discovered via a parliamentary question that the vast majority of contributions to Westminster debates on Brexit were made by male MPs.
MPs backed his new Brexit deal bill, but rejected the fast-track timetable to get it through parliament in just three days. They want more time to scrutinise and amend the bill, but Johnson claims they will “wreck” his deal.
Their refusal to rush it through means Johnson had to request an extension to the Halloween deadline.
EU leaders have agreed an extension is needed and will decide once the election question is tackled by MPs on Monday. It is thought they will probably offer a flexible extension to January 31.