Jeremy Hunt: Tories must win the argument if I am to avoid ‘Portillo moment’

Mr Hunt said Sir Keir Starmer could be left with a ‘free hand’ if Conservative voters drift to Reform UK and cost the Tories seats.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt criticised Labour’s plans (PA) (PA Wire)

Jeremy Hunt has said the Conservatives must “win the argument” across the country if he is to avoid a “Portillo moment” and fail to win his seat.

The Chancellor is standing in Godalming and Ash, a newly created seat with a notional Tory majority of more than 10,000.

But he fears the final result will be decided by 1,500 votes or fewer and he acknowledged he faced becoming the most high-profile casualty if the Tories lose the election.

If I want to avoid a Portillo moment we have to win the argument with people, not just in this constituency but up and down the country

Jeremy Hunt

In a reference to then-cabinet minister Michael Portillo’s election loss in 1997, Mr Hunt told the Sun on Sunday: “If I want to avoid a Portillo moment we have to win the argument with people, not just in this constituency but up and down the country.”

Boundary changes mean Mr Hunt is standing in the newly created Surrey seat, which would have had a Tory majority of 10,720 if it had been fought on those boundaries at the 2019 election.

The Liberal Democrats hope the seat could fall their way as part of their plan to target the “blue wall” of Conservative seats in the Home Counties.

But in a sign that the Tories are more concerned about their voters drifting to Reform UK, Mr Hunt echoed the Conservative message that supporting Nigel Farage’s party would end up handing Labour a landslide win by splitting the vote on the right.

He claimed that Sir Keir Starmer would turn the UK into “taxtopia”, restating Tory attacks on Labour’s plans for the economy and public finances.

“Taxtopia is what we will get under a Labour government,” he said.

“A vote for Reform will mean fewer centre-right MPs in Parliament, not more.

“It will give Keir Starmer an unchecked majority.

“He will have a free hand to help himself to your salary, to your pension, to the value of your house. All the things that Labour governments have always wanted to do.”

Labour has repeatedly said it has no plans to increase taxes beyond the specific measures set out in the party’s manifesto, such as imposing VAT on private schools and closing loopholes for non-domiciled wealthy foreigners.