Welsh Conservatives accused of airbrushing Boris Johnson from local election manifesto
The Welsh Conservatives have been accused of “airbrushing” Boris Johnson from their local election manifesto published last week.
The 18-page manifesto for the elections in May, launched on Wednesday, doesn’t feature a single photograph or mention of the Prime Minister, whose popularity amongst voters has declined sharply since allegations were first reported last November that some 10 Downing Street staff had held gatherings during the 2020 Christmas season in contravention of the Covid regulations.
Speaking at the manifesto’s launch, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, said: “It is important to remember that next month’s election is about local issues. It isn’t about politicians in Cardiff Bay or Westminster, it’s about local authorities and community groups who are best-placed to understand what funding is needed for their local area.
“It is about improving communities, making sure bins are collected on time, potholes are filled in, dangerous pavements are repaired, and that people receive the education and social services they deserve.
Mr Johnson is also notably absent from the Scottish Conservative’s 24-page manifesto which was published on Thursday.
The Telegraph also reports that Mr Johnson doesn’t feature in any of the Conservatives’ online campaign materials and is not mentioned in election material produced by a number of local associations in England, drawing comparisons to the absence of Jeremy Corbyn from Labour Party leaflets when he was the party’s leader.
Fines
Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were all fined earlier this week after the Metropolitan Police concluded lockdown laws introduced by Mr Johnson, had been broken.
The fines were issued following a gathering to mark the PM’s 56th Birthday in the cabinet room on 19 June 2020.
Mr Johnson is expected to face further fines having attended five of the 11 gatherings still being investigated by the police.
An opinion poll published today reveal that almost two thirds of voters think Boris Johnson should resign if he is issued with more fines.
36 per cent of those who voted Conservative at the 2019 election also think he should quit if receives more fines, compared with 49 per cent of 2019 Conservatives who think he should stay regardless of how many fines he receives.
Principle
During a round of media interviews earlier in the week, Mr Hart defended the Prime Minister and said he shouldn’t step down regardless of further fines.
He told Times Radio: “I don’t necessarily see the difference between one or two (fines), for example, the principle is the same.
“I personally don’t think that for people in public life – or any other walk of life, for that matter – that should necessarily be accompanied by another penalty, which is the removal of your job or similar.”
Mr Hart also denied that Mr Johnson had deliberately mislead people with his initial denials that he had attended any parties during lockdown.
Mr Hart also said he did not want to see a “long, noisy leadership” process “at a critical time as far as our engagement in Ukraine is concerned”.
“For me it doesn’t seem to be in the public interest.”
“The PM bitterly regretted this. Nobody is more frustrated than he for the mistakes which were made nearly two years ago.”
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Then all the other parties should bring up Boris all the time, and all the other rule breakers and lawbreakers and cost of living increasers
Mick Antoniw needs to put Priti Patel on notice that, as she has personally forced on Parliament through her ‘ministerial direction’ this diabolical edict, that should a single life be lost because of it she will be charged with Manslaughter and the PM will also appear on the charge sheet for aiding and abetting in the commission of a crime…
News for RTD, you and your mates are going to get hair brushed out of all our lives in 2 years time, just like nits and dandruff…
I hope so, however, with so many English settlers coming to Wales, I am starting to have my doubts
We should evangelise that for the majority, we can agree that our bread is buttered on the same side. Not everyone reads the Telegraph. It I could live anywhere it would still have to be within the feeding range of a Ganllwyd bee…but not in Ganllwyd itself for the phone signal goes for the next 3 or 4 miles. I wonder if it is the same for the mountain bikers in the woods…if it was Brithdir they would be moaning like mad…only joking !
Perhaps they want to live somewhere where Tories are a minority?
It’s not fair to make such assumptions about those who buy ordinary houses to actually live in themselves full time.
It would be a tough call choosing Boris or RT with Hart at a carnival featuring a Laurel & Hardy act. Either would make a wining combination.
Whining combination
Boris Johnson & Andrew RT Davies. It’s like having two annoying zits you cannot reach to pop.
Tell me if Welsh Labour are putting Starmer on their election pamphlets, If not I will ask, what’s your point?
Well, I wouldn’t blame them although I just wish Welsh Labour were separate from their English namesake.
“Not in the public interest”. Trans; “I’m wetting my pants”.
Airbrushing Boris Johnson out. Sorry, no amount of manipulation of the truth will remove that stain. But I’m more surprised Andrew RT Davies and his Wenglish Tories have a manifesto? It’s usually copy & paste whatever England’s doing.
Putin has just banned Fat Shanks and the Band from touring Russia, Wallace and Gromit are gutted…he could have invited them over for a sesh and taken them hostage…
Funny you should mention Wallace and Gromit. Ever noticed how Andrew RT Davies looks a bit like the farmer in Shaun the Sheep. He’s wooden too I’ve heard.
I find it hard to believe this headline, BJ’s most loyal supporter in Wales, a bit sickening really, is no other, come on down Andrew RT Davies.
Two whole years before being held to account? Should have been custodial sentence for the lot of them.
And the same Unionists keep on claiming how Westminster is the mother of all parliaments and a democracy when lying, sexual misconduct , corruption and rule breaking is now the new norm.
These are supposed to be local authority elections so why on earth should there be much exposure to the antics of clowns at national and UK level. It is far more important to focus on the needs of local communities, how those needs can be met, and who are the people among us who can pursue those objectives most effectively. Mention of Boris, other London based goons, Drakeford and the assortment of ineffectives in the Bay should be minimal other than when highlighting who is obstructing the achievement of local objectives. A strong focus on local needs would also weed… Read more »
With due respect. What happens nationally has an effect locally. And I agree. Local issues should prevail but as you know politicians , especially the Tories, mix both together deliberately to gain support seeing the revelations recently regarding Partygate with Boris Johnson being fined for breaking his own lockdown rules and is likely to be fined multiple times again. Here’s an example of what I’m referring to. Recently I saw Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies interviewed by BBC Wales during campaigning. He mentioned Boris’s leadership regarding the war in Ukraine and the pandemic rollout the positives of voting Conservative.… Read more »
Because a vote for any party at the local level bolsters the party at the national level. Through policies, through subliminal advertising, through control of public funds, through support for sympathetic organisations, through public perception…
Local or national, a vote for the tories is endorsement of a criminal.
The electorate, in the main, is sufficiently naive to fail to make the connection and will instead believe that local elections focus solely on the needs of local communities.
Most people, sadly, have the same approach to national elections: “I voted for Virginia. She’s learnt Welsh. I didn’t vote for that bl**dy Johnson.”
Well, actually you did.
What’s needed is a campaign that helps people understand the effects of their votes.
(I took so long editing my first reply that I ran out of time…)
Kick all English party’s out of wales vote Plaid Cymru
It says it all doesn’t it? Don’t show or mention Johnson anywhere and dump the name Conservative to run under the heading of ‘Independent’ for a sniff of any votes whatsoever.