‘Corbyn puts UK at terror risk’

Tory campaign chief says Labour leader would not take the right decisions to keep the country safe

BRITAIN would not be safe under Jeremy Corbyn because he cannot take the “difficult decisions” needed in the event of a terrorist attack, the man running the Tory campaign says today. In an exclusive interview with The

Sunday Telegraph, Sir Patrick McLoughlin claims it is “blindingly obvious” that voters would be better protected under Theresa May.

In a very personal attack, he questions the Labour leader’s judgment in matters of war and says he is “not suitable” to take on the responsibilities of being prime minister. “There are decisions which prime ministers have to take and those people in authority have to take [which] are sometimes very uncomfortable,” Sir Patrick says.

“If they don’t take them, we’re at danger … I know that with Theresa May, she would take them. I’m not sure that Jeremy Corbyn would.”

The intervention marks a major escalation in the Tory attempt to paint Mr Corbyn as unprepared for office compared with the “strong and stable” leadership of Mrs May.

The Conservatives believe they can make major gains from Labour in northern England as they search for their biggest majority since the days of Margaret Thatcher.

They are directly targeting Mr Corbyn’s perceived weakness in the eyes of voters to convert a 20-point poll lead into securing more seats come June 8.

In a signal of intent, Mrs May yesterday campaigned in the West Midlands constituency of Dudley North, which Labour holds with a majority of more than 4,000.

Giving his first interview since the snap election was called, Sir Patrick – who is co-running the campaign – goes on the attack over Mr Corbyn’s security record.

Mr Corbyn prompted a row early in his leadership when he appeared to question the police’s “shoot to-kill” policy in terrorist incidents, saying he was “not happy” with it. He later endorsed the policy.

The Labour leader also opposed the use of nuclear weapons, once saying he would not press the nuclear button if prime minister, and voted against military action in Syria. Asked if he had concerns about Mr Corbyn’s record on security and defence, Sir Patrick said: “The man is not suitable to become prime minister of this country. He has been a rebel without a cause in the Labour Party.”

On whether he thought voters would be safer under Mrs May than Mr Corbyn, he said: “I think that would be stating the blindingly obvious.

“With Theresa May’s record as home secretary and the way she’s conducted herself since she’s been prime minister,

I don’t think anybody can be in doubt as to how serious she takes those responsibilities and is really on top of the detail.

“I just think she has shown herself as the person most qualified and most suitable to the job.”

His remarks are likely to provoke a row, with Labour expected to rebut the claims in the strongest terms as the party seeks to prove its electability.

Mr Corbyn has condemned terrorist attacks during his leadership and explains his Syrian stance by saying that only diplomacy can bring an end to the civil war.

During his interview, Sir Patrick reveals a number of new attack lines on the Labour leader and other political opponents expected to be repeated throughout the campaign.

He ridicules Mr Corbyn’s attempt to portray himself as anti-Establishment by noting he has been an MP attending Westminster for 34 years. He also frames Ukip, which took countless votes off the Tories in the 2015 election, as “struggling to find a purpose” after the Brexit vote.

“Ukip is not going to be a serious player in the next General Election. The person who is going to deliver Brexit if it’s going to be delivered is Theresa May,” he says.

Sir Patrick, the MP for the Derbyshire Dales, also reveals the influential role Philip May – the Prime Minister’s husband – plays in her premiership.

He calls Mr May one of the “hidden powers” behind her political career, and says: “I think Philip is amazing. He will turn up at central office and do telephone canvassing just with anybody else. He’s been a constituency chairman. He’s done everything in the party and that is what I think a lot of people and party workers like. They know that both Theresa and Philip have worked all their way up through the party.”