General Election 2019: Boris Johnson retreats into fridge as Corbyn calls for shock on last day of campaign

Democracy means that when there’s a knock on the door in the early hours, it’s the milkman, Winston Churchill is supposed to have said.

The phrase took on new meaning for the Monaghan family of Guiseley, West Yorkshire, who opened the door to Boris Johnson early yesterday morning, carrying a crate with their milk delivery.

The Prime Minister and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn toured the country on the final day of campaigning, both describing today’s vote as the most important in a generation.

Boris Johnson retreated into a walk-in fridge at the Modern Milkman dairy to avoid further questions from journalists. Picture: PA

Mr Johnson got a warm welcome on his milk round despite catching the Monaghans in their pyjamas, but there was a frosty reception for journalists.

A question from a reporter for ITV’s Good Morning Britain, asking why the Prime Minister had failed to appear on the programme like other party leaders, was met with a four-letter response from his press secretary Rob Oxley. Mr Johnson retreated into a walk-in fridge at the Modern Milkman dairy to avoid further questions.

His final campaign sweep also took in stops in South Wales, where he visited the supplier of the Queen’s Christmas crackers, and the East Midlands, where he prepared an ‘oven-ready’ pie to symbolise his Brexit deal, before a final eve-of-poll rally at the Olympic Park in East London.

“This could not be more critical, it could not be tighter – I just say to everybody the risk is very real that we could tomorrow be going into another hung parliament,” he said.

Jeremy Corbyn on the campaign trail in Glasgow. Picture: PA

Last night Mr Johnson said the country would enjoy Christmas dinner knowing Brexit is “decided” if voters give the Conservatives a majority.

He said “enough is enough” when it came to Brexit delays, but warned the election was on a “knife edge”.

“Even if you have never voted Conservative before, this is your chance to be heard and I promise I will not let you down,” he said.

At a rally in his home constituency of Islington last night, Mr Corbyn told voters that “tomorrow you can shock the establishment, by voting for hope”. He began the final day of election campaigning in Glasgow where he declared that Labour’s principles were “stronger than ever” despite “unbelievable levels of abuse” from sections of the media.

Beginning a six-stop tour of the UK at Govan Cross, he addressed a crowd of around 100 party activists and insisted today’s election was a straight choice between the Conservatives and Labour.

He was speaking in the Glasgow South West constituency, which is being defended by the SNP’s Chris Stephens with a majority of just 66, but failed to mention Nicola Sturgeon or her party.

“In this city of Glasgow, which contains some of the wards with the lowest life expectancy in the country, they need an end to austerity,” Mr Corbyn said.

“They need a UK government that will invest across the country and give real hope and real security to people. That is the offer that Labour makes.”

Mr Corbyn went on to visit the north-east of England and the Midlands before ending with a final pre-election speech in London.

“We stand at a fork in the road,” he said at the rally in Hoxton. “The choice facing you, the people of this country, is truly historic.”