Local Tories are telling voters not to “punish” them for “mistakes” in Westminster as they distance themselves from Boris Johnson and the partygate scandal.
In a sign he is not being put at the front and centre of campaigning, the Prime Minister barely appears in paid-for adverts from the Conservative Party on Facebook, while canvassers are avoiding discussing Westminster politics on the doorstep.
Tory campaigners across the country are attempting to defy gloomy polls ahead of the local elections on Thursday, with the latest figures showing the Conservatives trailing Labour in the wake of revelations that Mr Johnson and Rishi Sunak broke Covid laws.
One Tory leaflet in Hartlepool said: “This Thursday, please don’t punish local Conservatives for the mistakes made in Westminster”, while in London, 400 Tory candidates are running as “Local Conservative” on the ballot paper, in an attempt to separate their campaigns from the national party.
Two “Local Conservative” candidates in Edgbaston, Warwickshire, have released a leaflet, below, that claims the elections are “not about party politics, but about who will work hardest for the community”.
Two “Local Conservative” candidates in Edgbaston, Warwickshire, have released a leaflet that claims the elections are “not about party politics, but about who will work hardest for the community”
Mr Johnson has also not featured at all in the 113 local election adverts pushed by the Conservative Party’s Facebook account since May 1, despite appearing in five different adverts encouraging people to become members of, or donate to, the party between July and December 2020.
In Peterborough, the Conservative council leader has urged voters to “ignore the woes of Westminster and the many distracting national issues and focus on the successes of the city and who has made them happen”.
The apparent attempt to hide the Prime Minister from voters comes after the Liberal Democrats accused him of deliberately staying away from “Blue Wall” areas in the south of England during the campaign.
Daisy Cooper, the party’s deputy leader, said he was “nowhere to be found” and his absence was an “insult to millions”.
“Conservative candidates up and down the country are desperately trying to distance themselves from Boris Johnson to avoid a backlash at the polls,” she said.
In Somerset, a local Conservative campaigner told The Telegraph that canvassers had been told to focus on local issues if any voters raised lockdown-breaking Downing Street gatherings on the doorstep.
“Partygate comes up but it’s deflected by saying that what they do in Westminster is up to them,” they said.
“What we do down here is a matter of providing cost-effective and efficient services for the people of Somerset.”
Exclusive polling for The Telegraph on Tuesday suggested that the Conservatives are on track to lose nearly 550 seats in this week’s elections.
They could also lose control of councils in London, including Wandsworth and Westminster, which are considered “bellwether” councils for public opinion across the UK.
On Wednesday morning a Cabinet minister said Mr Johnson would be concerned about support for his leadership within the parliamentary Conservative Party ahead of polling day.
George Eustice told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “All prime ministers will always be very conscious of the mood in their parliamentary party because no government can get anything done unless it enjoys the support of the parliamentary party as a whole.
“So of course the Prime Minister will be thinking about these things. But for now, he’s also making sure that we deal with some of the international challenges like the problems in Ukraine, that we give them the support they need, that we help steer our economy through this period where we’re getting some inflationary pressures.”
“I’m standing for this party but pretty please don’t let the actions of the party I’m standing for influence your vote because I want to keep my political career going [and I dont want our totals to look bad on the night].”
Lmao. Thats a no sale.
Clap for the poor Tories.
I’ve challenged my MP to distance himself from Bodger but he refuses to as his tongue isn’t long enough to keep licking arse if he does.
He, for one, 100% needs punishing for the numerous mistakes he keeps backing.
Fuck off – This is your party that you support ya wazzucks.
Of course we are going to blame you for the corruption in the party that you represent. Stand as an independent if you don’t want anything to do with them but don’t try and pretend that your tory seat in the commons has put them in charge.
7 comments
Local Tories are telling voters not to “punish” them for “mistakes” in Westminster as they distance themselves from Boris Johnson and the partygate scandal.
In a sign he is not being put at the front and centre of campaigning, the Prime Minister barely appears in paid-for adverts from the Conservative Party on Facebook, while canvassers are avoiding discussing Westminster politics on the doorstep.
Tory campaigners across the country are attempting to defy gloomy polls ahead of the local elections on Thursday, with the latest figures showing the Conservatives trailing Labour in the wake of revelations that Mr Johnson and Rishi Sunak broke Covid laws.
One Tory leaflet in Hartlepool said: “This Thursday, please don’t punish local Conservatives for the mistakes made in Westminster”, while in London, 400 Tory candidates are running as “Local Conservative” on the ballot paper, in an attempt to separate their campaigns from the national party.
Two “Local Conservative” candidates in Edgbaston, Warwickshire, have released a leaflet, below, that claims the elections are “not about party politics, but about who will work hardest for the community”.
Two “Local Conservative” candidates in Edgbaston, Warwickshire, have released a leaflet that claims the elections are “not about party politics, but about who will work hardest for the community”
Mr Johnson has also not featured at all in the 113 local election adverts pushed by the Conservative Party’s Facebook account since May 1, despite appearing in five different adverts encouraging people to become members of, or donate to, the party between July and December 2020.
In Peterborough, the Conservative council leader has urged voters to “ignore the woes of Westminster and the many distracting national issues and focus on the successes of the city and who has made them happen”.
The apparent attempt to hide the Prime Minister from voters comes after the Liberal Democrats accused him of deliberately staying away from “Blue Wall” areas in the south of England during the campaign.
Daisy Cooper, the party’s deputy leader, said he was “nowhere to be found” and his absence was an “insult to millions”.
“Conservative candidates up and down the country are desperately trying to distance themselves from Boris Johnson to avoid a backlash at the polls,” she said.
In Somerset, a local Conservative campaigner told The Telegraph that canvassers had been told to focus on local issues if any voters raised lockdown-breaking Downing Street gatherings on the doorstep.
“Partygate comes up but it’s deflected by saying that what they do in Westminster is up to them,” they said.
“What we do down here is a matter of providing cost-effective and efficient services for the people of Somerset.”
Exclusive polling for The Telegraph on Tuesday suggested that the Conservatives are on track to lose nearly 550 seats in this week’s elections.
They could also lose control of councils in London, including Wandsworth and Westminster, which are considered “bellwether” councils for public opinion across the UK.
On Wednesday morning a Cabinet minister said Mr Johnson would be concerned about support for his leadership within the parliamentary Conservative Party ahead of polling day.
George Eustice told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “All prime ministers will always be very conscious of the mood in their parliamentary party because no government can get anything done unless it enjoys the support of the parliamentary party as a whole.
“So of course the Prime Minister will be thinking about these things. But for now, he’s also making sure that we deal with some of the international challenges like the problems in Ukraine, that we give them the support they need, that we help steer our economy through this period where we’re getting some inflationary pressures.”
“I’m standing for this party but pretty please don’t let the actions of the party I’m standing for influence your vote because I want to keep my political career going [and I dont want our totals to look bad on the night].”
Lmao. Thats a no sale.
Clap for the poor Tories.
I’ve challenged my MP to distance himself from Bodger but he refuses to as his tongue isn’t long enough to keep licking arse if he does.
He, for one, 100% needs punishing for the numerous mistakes he keeps backing.
Then why not run as an independent?
The [Admiral Doenitz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYz1ADttI1g) defence?
Fuck off – This is your party that you support ya wazzucks.
Of course we are going to blame you for the corruption in the party that you represent. Stand as an independent if you don’t want anything to do with them but don’t try and pretend that your tory seat in the commons has put them in charge.