Boris Johnson says his frustration over delaying Brexit has left him wanting to "chew my own tie" as he launched his party's election campaign.
The Prime Minister, speaking after an audience with the Queen at which she agreed to dissolve Parliament, said he did not want an early election but that MPs were refusing to deliver Brexit.
His speech was delayed by the resignation of Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns, who was accused of "brazenly lying" about his knowledge of an allegation that a Tory candidate had sabotaged a rape trial.
Mr Johnson said: "I want you to know of course it that I don't want an early election and no one much wants to have an election in December, but we've got to the stage where we have no choice because our parliament is paralysed, it's been stuck in a rut for three and a half years.
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"And I'm afraid our MPs are just refusing, time and again to deliver Brexit and honour the mandate of the people.
"I can tell you, I've got to the stage where I've been wanting to chew my own tie in frustration because, in a sense, we're so nearly there.
"We've got a deal, oven ready, by which we can leave the EU in just a few weeks."
The Prime Minister, who did not address Mr Cairns' departure, vowed to "get Parliament working again" if he wins a working majority in the polls.
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"On day one of the new Parliament in December, we will start getting our deal through so we can get Brexit done in January and unleash this country's potential. We'll put uncertainty behind us."
He said a "flood of investment" was waiting to come in once Britain leaves the European Union with his Withdrawal Agreement.
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"If we can get this deal over the line with a sensible majority government, we certainly can release that pent-up flood of investment.
"Hundreds of billions are waiting to pour into the UK and we can inject a surge of confidence into our system."
Mr Cairns' resignation followed demands for Jacob Rees-Mogg to quit over controversial remarks on the Grenfell Tower fire.
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Rapper Stormzy led the clamour calling for Mr Rees-Mogg to resign after the Tory MP suggested that Grenfell victims should have used "common sense" and ignored fire service guidance not to leave the burning tower block.
Earlier, Mr Corbyn, speaking in his hometown Telford, said he would be a "very different" prime minister if his party wins the election.
"I was not born to rule. None of us in this room were born to rule. I don't pursue the kind of politics that thinks it's all a game, a parlour game, a debating society game.
"I want to seek power for our party in order to share that power out all across the country and with all those communities that would have contributed to this historic Labour election victory which we're looking forward to on 12 December."
And the Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson launched her election "battle bus" campaign by insisting she is the best-suited to be the next prime minister.
Ms Swinson, who believes the Lib Dems could win "hundreds" of seats on December 12, said: "I am happy to take on both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, neither of whom is fit to be prime minister, whatever."