Boris tackled hard by his blue-collar rival
Stephen Crabb talks up his working-class background as he launches ‘unity’ bid against former mayor
STEPHEN CRABB played up his bluecollar credentials as he launched his leadership campaign yesterday and criticised Boris Johnson’s dedication to becoming the next prime minister.
The Work and Pensions Secretary spoke of his tough upbringing in a council house in Wales as he announced his plan to replace David Cameron, with Sajid Javid acting as a running mate.
In a speech which focused on his commitment to uniting the country and his party, Mr Crabb said he had been “blessed” to have been brought up by his mother, who “worked incredibly hard for us” despite their difficult circumstances.
He pledged to form a team of “smart and talented” Conservatives to steer the country through the difficult process of leaving the EU and admitted that some of his colleagues had told him not to stand. He also appeared to suggest Mr Johnson, who was educated at Eton, has not worked hard enough to become the next leader but simply waited for the opportunity to present itself.
“I was brought up to understand that nothing gets handed to you on a plate,” Mr Crabb said. “On the rainy rugby fields of West Wales I learnt that it’s not a question of just waiting for the ball to pop out from the back of the scrum. If you want it, you do what’s required.”
The reference is a criticism of Mr Johnson over a remark he made in 2013. When asked if he wanted to be prime minister, Mr Johnson replied: “If the ball came loose from the back of the scrum, which it won’t of course, it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at.”
In another apparent criticism of Mr Johnson, Mr Crabb admitted that he is not well-known but said: “There are different ways you can become a household name. I’m doing it the right way hopefully.”
Positioning himself as the opposite of Mr Johnson, Mr Crabb, whose mother fled his father’s domestic violence, said he has worked “every week since the age of 12” on building sites, at Tesco and as a potato picker before going to university and becoming a politician.
He said he is aware that he is the underdog, facing challenges from Theresa May as well as the former mayor of London, but said there is space in the race for someone other than “Boris or the ‘Stop Boris’ candidate”.
He said: “When I look around for who in our party is going to work all this out, and give us the best possible chance to mend these divisions ... I don’t see anybody who provides a compelling answer.”
Mr Crabb, a Christian, faced questions at the event about his views on gay marriage, having voted against it in the Commons. He said it was not an issue and he had voted “the way I did but I am very happy with the outcome”.