BOJO Johnson touches down at Tayto factory in bid to bag support at polls

BORIS Johnson jetted into Northern Ireland last night for crunch talks with Mr Tayto.

The Tory leader was hoping to bag more support in next month’s poll with a snap visit to the Tandragee factory in Co Armagh.

He donned a white hat before helping to prepare spuds being turned into the famous cheese and onion-flavoured snacks.

Just hours earlier the PM had been in Scotland, where he visited a whisky distillery.

Last month, the United States, who Mr Johnson hopes to do a trade deal with, slapped a 25% tariff on Scotch and other European products in retaliation for European

Union subsidies on large aircraft.

The flying visit was criticised by SDLP Leader

Colum Eastwood who said the outgoing PM should have faced voters “to explain his Government’s cruel welfare cuts, his dangerous approach to

Brexit and their savage austerity rather than scurrying around in the dark at Tayto castle”.

Mr Johnson claimed frictionless trade between

Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK would be maintained under the proposed Brexit deal.

His proposed agreement foundered after DUP opposition to what some unionists have termed a border in the Irish Sea.

An elaborate system involving the imposition of tariffs on goods going into the Republic after passing through Northern Ireland is designed to maintain an open land border on the island.

Mr Johnson said: “This is a wonderful thing for NI because it allows the whole of the UK to leave while making sure there is not any border at all between Northern Ireland and the South.

“But also, and this is a very important point to get across, no friction at all west-east or east-west. There has been a lot of misunderstanding about the deal and perhaps one of the things that I wish we could have spent a bit more time explaining it because there won’t be any checks on stuff coming from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, we won’t be implementing, we are the Government of the UK, we won’t be implementing any checks, of course not.”

He claimed Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would offer an “appalling” threat to the union with Northern Ireland.

Mr Corbyn held meetings with Sinn Fein leaders decades ago during the Troubles.

The Prime Minister also criticised his rival over the possibility of referenda on Scottish independence and EU withdrawal.

He said: “Another turgid, torpid, toxic appalling EU referendum, which is the last thing we need.”

Mr Johnson added tariffs levied on goods coming from Britain and going on to the Republic would represent a very small minority.

He said: “If people don’t like it they can vote it out in four years’ time.”

Mr Johnson took to the skies aboard as part of the three-nation campaign trip.

Arriving on board the plane, Mr Johnson said hello to those travelling with him and repeatedly remarked it was “Con Air” - an apparent nickname for the Conservative campaign plane rather than a direct reference to the 1997 movie starring Nicolas Cage.

After arriving at Teesside Airport, Mr Johnson travelled to the Tetley Tea factory in Eaglescliffe.

In Scotland, Mr Johnson met Douglas Ross – the Conservative candidate seeking re-election in Moray – for a tour of the Roseisle Distillery.

He sampled a whisky, describing it as “delicious”.