Britain’s next Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party must above all achieve 2 key results: first he must ensure we leave the EU and second save the country from a left-wing Marx inspired government.
This weekend ballot papers are going out across the UK – including to hundreds of Conservative Party members in our Royal Town. As we approach the final vote here is why I believe Boris Johnson is the right man on both counts: -
The deep divisions throughout all parts of the United Kingdom and the general paralysis of the Government requires determination to deliver on the Referendum’s democratic mandate with clarity and decisiveness. We need a Leader whose heart & head believe in Britain’s departure from the EU.
Contrary to some in Britain’s pro-EU establishment, Boris has always been a sceptic on Europe; in 1992 when I put him on our Candidates List, all the Conservative MEPs complained against his inclusion because he was “too Eurosceptical”. We need a Leader who voted to leave and who means it. The European Leaders will be looking to see if the next British Prime Minister means what he says and will deliver on leaving the EU.
Once the decision of the Referendum has been implemented, our Leader will need to face down Jeremy Corbyn as well as the strong alternative posed by the resurgent Lib Dems. Having ended the split on the right of British politics by delivering Brexit we need to ensure that a centrist socially liberal Conservative Party reflects the values of our Sutton Coldfield community.
As London Mayor Boris was so successful that he was re-elected for a further term whilst the Conservative Party was tracking 17% below Labour in the polls. He built more houses than the 100,000 he promised. He cut crime; he reduced youth unemployment. He championed the National Living Wage and vigorously recruited companies to support it.
Throughout this Leadership Campaign I have seen Boris interacting with Conservative members of all ages and backgrounds – including in a meeting here in Royal Sutton Coldfield, where 400 of our members turned up to hear his message and overwhelmingly offered their support. He spoke about his
plans to promote our great public services, his desire to take less in tax off hard working citizens; his commitment to an outward looking Britain supporting the values and causes which have won our country admiration and respect all around the world. Audiences have departed uplifted – their enthusiasm restored, and their hopes engaged. On 22 July, I hope he will have the chance to do that for the entire country as our next Prime Minister.