Conservatives point finger at Johnson for losses at polls
Senior Conservatives have blamed Boris Johnson for their local election performance, saying anger over partygate cost crucial votes.
Two former ministers joined ousted council leaders in condemnation of the prime minister following the seismic collapse of support in blue wall areas, amid suggestions successful local campaigns were thwarted by a national focus on lockdown rulebreaking.
It came as Kit Malthouse, the policing minister, urged Rishi Sunak to swiftly cut taxes, breaking ranks to express his “sincere hope” the Chancellor would “shortly” announce plans to ease the burden on families and firms struggling with rising bills.
The backlash followed heavy Conservative losses in councils across the country, with almost 500 seats taken by opposition parties.
Theresa Villiers, who represents
Barnet where Labour seized the Conservative-run authority, said partygate was a factor. “I’m heartbroken that those really great representatives lost their seats as a result. We have to listen.
“These were in many parts of the country very negative results for us and it’s important we have serious change from the Government.”
Caroline Dinenage, a former culture minister whose seat is in Gosport, Hants, where the Tories lost out to the Liberal Democrats, also admitted anger with Johnson played a role in the result.
“There are some Tory voters who have said they wouldn’t be voting for us while Boris Johnson remains prime minister, so it’s definitely had an impact. It’s our candidates that I feel sorry for because they have nothing to do with what goes on in Westminster,” she said.
The deposed council leader there, Graham Burgess, said those who lost their seats had been “hard done by”.
“What’s happened in Westminster — not just partygate but also the rising living costs — has played a major part in the outcome.”
On a dire night across much of the south, the Conservatives also lost control of Woking council, which they had held for 14 years, to the Liberal Democrats.
Outgoing leader Ayesha Azad said a lot of traditional supporters in the area had “stayed at home” as they “weren’t happy with the shenanigans in Westminster”.
“There’s just no two ways about it, partygate certainly was an issue mostly with Conservative voters in our strongest areas,” she told The Telegraph.
Azad said she was willing to “give the PM time to turn the ship around” but urged him to take the party “back to its low tax credentials” ahead of further local elections next year.
— Telegraph Group Ltd