UK's chief rabbi slams Labour over anti-Semitism

The Labour Party came under a searing attack from Britain's most senior Jewish leader, who accused Jeremy Corbyn of allowing a "poison sanctioned from the top."

Ephraim Mirvis, the Orthodox chief rabbi of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, claimed the Labour leader's assurances of tackling anti-Semitism in the party are a "mendacious fiction."

While stopping short of asking his community not to vote in favor of Labour, he said: "When 12 December arrives, I ask every person to vote with their conscience.

"Be in no doubt – the very soul of our nation is at stake."

Corbyn has repeatedly insisted anti-Semitism within his party is being addressed, pointing to the expulsion of several high-profile figures.

However, Labour has also lost notable Jewish members who have spoken of the systematic abuse they have received.

Jeremy Corbyn launches race and faith manifesto

Jeremy Corbyn insisted Labour would not tolerate anti-Semitism and urged the Jewish community to "engage" with him as the party launched its most ambitious race and faith manifesto.

The new manifesto, promises to include historical injustices and Britain's colonial legacy in the national curriculum, attach a race equality unit to the Treasury and reduce charges for Home Office tests and documents such as passports and visas.

Launched by Corbyn, Dawn Butler, the shadow equalities secretary, and Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, the manifesto is a result of a consultation launched by Butler at the Labour Party conference in September.

In a statement, Corbyn, said: "Labour is the party of equality and human rights. Our Race and Faith Manifesto presents our unshakable commitment to challenge the inequalities and discrimination that has faced to many communities."

Butler said that "only by acknowledging the historical injustices faced by our communities" can a better and prosperous future be ensured.

Last day for voters' registration

People wanting to vote in the general election on 12 December have until midnight local time on 26 November to register their names.

Applications for postal votes in England, Scotland or Wales will close at 17:00 local time.

People who are going to be out of the country on polling day, can apply to vote by proxy by 00:00 hours on 4 December.

The deadline for proxy or postal votes in Northern Ireland has already passed.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as of December 2018, around 45.8 million people are registered to vote in parliamentary elections.

Another 3.19 million enrolled since the general election was announced at the end of October. Almost 67 percent of the new voters are under 35 and more than 1 million are under the age of 25.

Former diplomat accuses PM Johnson of 'diplomatic amateurism' over Brexit

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's haste in pushing through Brexit by December 2020 raises the prospect of the UK crashing out of the European Union without a deal, a former ambassador has warned.

Ivan Rogers, a senior diplomat, said Johnson was making the same mistake as his predecessor Theresa May, by claiming a permanent trade deal with the EU could be thrashed out within a year.

Rogers, who stepped down as the UK's permanent representative to the EU in January 2017, said in a speech at the University of Glasgow: "This is diplomatic amateurism dressed up domestically as boldness and decisiveness."

He was also critical of Jeremy Corbyn, saying the Labour leader's stance to stay neutral in a second referendum "frankly deserves the Brussels eye-rolling it duly gets."

Johnson has promised to take the UK out of the EU by 31 January 2020.

In the event of a Labour win in the general election next month, Corbyn has promised a new Brexit deal within three months, followed by a legally binding referendum that will have the option of staying in the 28-nation bloc.

Economists back Labour spending plans

The Labour Party received a shot in the arm ahead of the general election after 163 economists approved its spending plans.

In a public letter published in the Financial Times, prominent academics and economists urged for "a serious injection of public investment" in the economy and called out Tory claims of running a "strong economy" since 2010.

The letter referred to a decade of near-zero productivity growth and stagnation in corporate investment, saying: "A gulf has arisen between London and the South East and the rest of the country."

It added: "It seems clear to us that the Labour party has not only understood the deep problems we face, but has devised serious proposals for dealing with them."

The authors include professor David Blanchflower, a former member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee and Victoria Chick, emeritus professor of economics at University College London.

UK election jargon buster: Landslide

A term used when a party wins an overwhelming mandate after an election. Some instances of famous landslides are the Labour party victory in 1945, the Conservatives coming to power in 1983 and 1997 when Tony Blair got elected as Prime Minister with 418 seats and 43 percent of the popular vote.