Tory Mayors attain out to ex-PM Boris Johnson in ‘determined’ bid to cling on
Tory Mayoral candidates have been accused of “desperation” after ex-PM Boris Johnson was wheeled out to support their campaigns on the eve of voting.
The disgraced former Tory leader reached out to voters in both the West Midlands and Tees Valley contests where the Conservative candidates are hoping to cling on. Mr Johnson bizarrely told voters to “forget about the government” in the West Midlands where Tory Mayor Andy Street faces a knife-edge battle against his Labour rival. He added: “Forget about Westminster.
“This election is about the next four years in the West Midlands – and who you want in charge. If it were my vote I’d want the person with a record of getting stuff done. And that’s Andy Street.” While Mr Street’s campaign team have sent out the letter from the ex-PM to voters in the West Midlands his website appears to make no reference to the current PM, Rishi Sunak.
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In a separate video the former Tory leader also bragged about the Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, who was made a peer in Mr Johnson’s resignation honours list. “He is a guy who does what he says he’s going to do,” the ex-PM says in the video which has been promoted on behalf of Mr Houchen’s campaign.
It comes as millions of voters prepare to head to polling stations to cast their ballots in crucial local elections and 11 mayoral battles across the country. Rishi Sunak is bracing for heavy losses with forecasts the Tories could lose up to 500 council seats – half of those the party is defending.
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But No10 fears defeat in the West Midlands or Tees Valley could result in more Tory MPs calling on the PM to be ousted amid fears of a 1997-style wipeout at the general election. A Labour source said: “Rishi Sunak’s predecessor telling voters to forget about the government is a damning verdict on the PM’s leadership.
“Both Ben Houchen and Andy Street have distanced themselves from Rishi Sunak but seem very happy to put Boris Johnson’s name up in lights. Rishi Sunak is such a drag that his own candidates clearly feel they need to dump him to win.”
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper added: “This last ditch attempt from the Conservatives will go down terribly in the blue wall. If they think wheeling out the lying lawbreaker Boris Johnson will win over voters then they’re more out of touch than ever. Johnson’s reappearance stinks of desperation for Conservatives who are frankly embarrassed by their current Prime Minister.”
