‘He has yet to win over the country’ – Labour in call for general election
WELSH Labour have called for a general election after Boris Johnson was selected as the new leader of the Conservative Party – and Britain’s next prime minister.
Mr Johnson is putting together his cabinet and preparing for government after a landslide victory in the Tory leadership contest.
The new Conservative Party leader used his victory speech to promise he will “energise the country” and meet the October 31 Brexit deadline with a “new spirit of can-do”.
Calling for a General Election, Neath MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Christina Rees said: “Boris Johnson has won over the Conservative Party but he is yet to win over the country.
“He should seek a mandate from the people in a General Election.
“In the coming days, Johnson must also make amends for his party’s woeful record in Wales. If he really cares about the people, jobs and the economy here, he will rule out a disastrous no-deal Brexit.
“He should go further by investing in our public services and ending a near decade of austerity cuts that have pushed people into poverty and out on the streets. It’s also time for a radical overhaul of the Wales Office. Alun Cairns has been unable to fight for anything other than his own career.
“We can no longer be represented at the cabinet table by a Secretary of State who seems to revel in his own irrelevance.”
On whether he would remain in his role, Mr Cairns told ITV Cymru Wales’ political editor Adrian Masters: “That’s a matter for the new Prime Minister. Clearly he will want to build his own team around him and we will see what that will bring.”
Liz Saville-Roberts, Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader and MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said: “The Conservative
Party has just thrown the UK out of the frying pan and into the fire. During the most serious political crisis in decades, a clown is set to become Prime Minister. But this is no joke. People will soon realise this isn’t as good as it gets.
“By electing Boris Johnson, the Conservative Party has given the Welsh independence movement a gift. With the election of Mr Johnson, the question of Welsh independence is not of ‘if’, but ‘when’.”
First Minister Mark Drakeford tweeted: “Boris Johnson becomes PM at a time of real crisis for our country. I wish him well and hope he will be able to demonstrate the maturity, strategic thinking and honest needed to meet the challenges he – and we all – face. I look forward to meeting him soon.”
Paul Davies, who is Welsh Conservatives leader, said: “I’m delighted... I voted for Boris and supported his leadership campaign as I believe that our current political situation calls for charismatic, uplifting and positive leadership, which has our leader Boris will deliver.
“With Boris Johnson we can keep Jeremy Corbyn out of 10 Downing Street, stopping him from dragging us back to the 1970s and together we can end Welsh Labour’s 20 uninterrupted years of power in Wales.
“I look forward to welcoming Boris back to Wales as the new Prime Minister in the near future and to continue building a strong and positive relationship to help shape the future of Wales and the United Kingdom, ensuring we take full advantage of all the opportunties Brexit will offer.”
David Jones, Tory MP for Clwyd West, said of the result: “Utterly decisive. Now let’s move forward!”
But David Davies, the Conservative MP for Monmouth, chose to tweet about funding for a 20mph speed limit in Chepstow, while Guto Bebb, who has said he will stand down as the MP for Aberconwy before the next general election retweeted the spoof twitter account of Number 10’s cat Larry, which said: “No, I can’t believe they chose him either.”
Gower MP Tonia Antoniazzi tweeted: “Our country will now be led by another old Etonian PM who wants to give high earners a tax cut whilst pushing for a no-deal Brexit that will hit the most vulnerable hardest.
“He doesn’t represent Gower and he doesn’t represent the UK.”