Keir Starmer mocks Rishi Sunak for wheeling out Boris Johnson to save lots of Tories

Keir Starmer has brutally mocked Rishi Sunak for wheeling out Boris Johnson in the final hours of the campaign.

The Labour leader claimed he is “not worried in the slightest” that it could give the Tories a last-minute election boost. He joked that the current PM would be doing a joint press conference with Liz Truss next after failing to turn things around.

Disgraced Mr Johnson was a surprise speaker at a rally in London last night. He lashed out at Labour and Reform UK, but did not heap praise on Mr Sunak. Asked if he was alarmed by the former PM’s return to the frontline, Mr Starmer told reporters in Wales: “I’m not worried in the slightest. Having argued for six weeks that they’re chaotic and divided, to bring out Exhibit A with 24 hours to go just vindicated the argument I’ve be making.

“I’ve been saying they’re chaotic, they’re divided, and they’ve failed. I think Rishi started campaigning with Cameron at his side. I don’t think that worked very well. Then he borrowed Liz Truss’ playbook and put unfunded commitments in his manifesto, and then he wheeled out Boris Johnson last night. It makes my case for me.”

He went on to quip: “I’m only assuming that sometime about lunchtime today there’ll be a joint press conference from Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak on economic stability for the country going forward. I suspect that’s what’s coming next.”

Mr Johnson’s return hasn’t been universally accepted by top Tories. Transport Minister Huw Merriman publicly criticised the surprise appearance of disgraced ex-PM.

Posting on X, he said: “Given my refusal to support this man and to then welcome a change from his leadership when the wheels of public and Parliamentary tolerance finally fell off, I’m not sure how this pitches for my vote.”

Earlier Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride effectively conceded defeat, saying it is “highly likely” Labour will achieve the biggest majority in history. But Mr Starmer dismissed this as a cynical effort to suppress the vote.

He said: “You can see what the Tories are up to they’re trying to invite people not to exercise their democratic right to go out and vote, trying to dissuade people from voting. That is a terrible place for the Tory Party to have got to.

” A once respected party is now saying with 24 hours to go nothing that is positive, everything is negative, effectively, to run a campaign to suppress the vote. My message has been positive throughout which is if you want change you have to go out and vote for it. I do know there are undecideds out there that need convincing that change is possible, that need convincing to go out and vote. “