General election latest: Boris Johnson’s warning over Labour majority in surprise speech at Conservative rally

Boris Johnson warned a Labour super-majority would be “pregnant with horrors” as he gave a surprise appearance at a Conservative Party rally on Tuesday.

Rishi Sunak’s predecessor took to the stage ahead of Thursday’s general election in a last-ditch attempt to gather support for the current Tory leader, who is thought to be on the verge of leading the party to its worst defeat in history according to polling for The Independent .

Mr Johnson accused Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer of trying to “usher in the most left-wing Labour government since the war”.

He told campaigners: “Don’t let the Putinistas deliver the Corbynistas. Don’t let Putin’s pet parrots give this entire country psittacosis – which is a disease you get by the way from cosying up to pet parrots.”

He added: “If you want uncontrolled immigration and mandatory wokery, and pointless kowtowing to Brussels again, then go right ahead, make my day, vote for Starmer.”

It came as the UK’s postal vote system is “creaking” , the chief of the election watchdog has said, as a “record” amount of postal votes are expected this year.