UK Conservatives defending policy-light election platform

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s governing Conservative Party is defending an election platform that is light on policy proposals, as it tries to avoid squandering its poll lead before polling day in less than three weeks.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s party is campaigning heavily on a promise to “get Brexit done” by taking Britain out of the European Union on the scheduled date of Jan. 31 if it wins the Dec. 12 election.

Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan conceded Monday that leaving the bloc would only be “the first big step” to completing Brexit, because it would be followed by negotiations on a new trade relationship with the bloc.

The Tories’ election manifesto also commits to a modest increase in public spending, though far less than that proposed by the main opposition Labour Party.