General election latest: Boris Johnson’s warning over Labour majority in surprise speech at Conservative rally
Boris Johnson introduces Rishi Sunak at late-night Conservative Party rally in the final countdown to the general election
Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
Louise Thomas
Editor
Boris Johnson warned a Labour super-majority would be “pregnant with horrors” as he gave a surprise appearance at a Conservative Party rally on Tuesday.
Rishi Sunak’s predecessor took to the stage ahead of Thursday’s general election in a last-ditch attempt to gather support for the current Tory leader, who is thought to be on the verge of leading the party to its worst defeat in history according to polling for The Independent.
Mr Johnson accused Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer of trying to “usher in the most left-wing Labour government since the war”.
He told campaigners: “Don’t let the Putinistas deliver the Corbynistas. Don’t let Putin’s pet parrots give this entire country psittacosis – which is a disease you get by the way from cosying up to pet parrots.”
He added: “If you want uncontrolled immigration and mandatory wokery, and pointless kowtowing to Brussels again, then go right ahead, make my day, vote for Starmer.”
It came as the UK’s postal vote system is “creaking”, the chief of the election watchdog has said, as a “record” amount of postal votes are expected this year.
What to expect on the General Election campaign trail on Tuesday
Sunak in last-ditch attempt to rally Conservative voters with threat of a Labour ‘supermajority’
Is Starmer right to stop work for his family at 6pm on Fridays? Join The Independent Debate
Is there real reason to fear a Labour ‘supermajority’?
Tories attack Starmer over his desire to spend Friday nights with family
General election: Who are the main party leaders and what are their policies?
Millions of voters in Britain are going to the polls on Thursday July 4 to choose a new Prime Minister and a new government.
Voters will elect 650 MPs representing as many constituencies, or local areas, and the leader of the party that returns the most lawmakers will become prime minister.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives are widely expected to lose to the main opposition party, the left-of-center Labour, after 14 years in power under five different prime ministers.
General election: Who are the main party leaders and what are their policies?
Millions of voters are going to the polls on Thursday July 4 to choose a new Prime Minister
What is a ‘supermajority’ – and could Labour secure one at the general election?
What is a ‘supermajority’ – and could Labour win one at the general election?
The prime minister is warning voters of a Labour ‘supermajority’ – should they be worried?
Boris Johnson only mentioned prime minister once in speech
Boris Johnson opened with a joke thanking Conservative activists in his surprise appearance at the late-night rally, claiming it was “way past Keir Starmer’s bedtime”.
He thanked Rishi Sunak for asking him to come, but that was the only mention of the current prime minister in his speech, and the pair were not pictured together.
He told the crowds at the National Army Museum: “Is it not, therefore, the height of insanity, if these polls are right, that we are about to give Labour a super majority, which they will use to make us nothing but the punk of Brussels, taking EU law by dictation with no say on how that law is made?”
His appearance came after Rishi Sunak reportedly messaged him last week and asked him to help in any way he could. No further interventions from Mr Johnson are expected before the election.
Farage: ‘Government boats should intercept dinghies in English channel'
Nigel Farage has told Channel 5 that Government boats should stand ready to intercept English Channel dinghies and return them to France.
Taking a question about his party’s small boats policy, the Reform UK leader said: “If you know you won’t be allowed to stay, if you know you won’t get refugee status, you won’t pay 5,000 euros to a trafficker. Simple as.”
Asked whether he would be “prepared” to see Border Force intercept and return dinghies in the sea, Mr Farage said: “Prepare to do it, but we won’t need to.”
He added: “And by the way, not a penny more for the French if the French Navy carries on breaking its own maritime code by escorting illegal vessels to the 12 mile line (marking the edge of France’s territorial sea).”
Boris Johnson’s appearance an insult - Lib Dems
Boris Johnson’s appearance at a Conservative Party campaign rally is “an insult”, the Liberal Democrats’ deputy leader has said.
Responding to the former prime minister’s appearance at the rally in central London, held late on Tuesday evening, Daisy Cooper said: “This is an insult to everyone who made heartbreaking sacrifices during the pandemic.
“Rishi Sunak has reached a desperate new low, turning to a man who discredited the office of Prime Minister and lied to the country time after time.
“It is time to boot out this tired and sleaze-ridden Conservative Party, and elect Liberal Democrat MPs who will stand up for their communities.”
Sunak’s fighting talk as he looks to take battle to Labour
One audience member chants “We want Rishi” as Mr Sunak takes a break from his speech to laugh to himself.
He says: “I love this country for what it has done to my family. My grandparents came here with very little and now two generations later I stand here.
“My story couldn’t happen in any other country.”
He finishes: “So I say it again do not surrender to Labour. Let’s fight for every vote, let’s fight for our values, let’s fight for our vision of Britain. Thank you.”
Rishi Sunak admits voters frustrated with Tories
“We haven’t got everything right,” Rishi Sunak tells the crowd.
“But this Thursday is not a by-election but a choice for the future of this country and that choice has severe consequences for your family if you get this wrong.”
He said: “Sir Keir would scrap our [Rwanda] deterrent and release illegal migrants onto our streets.”
He adds Labour are socialists: “If you name it they will tax it.”
He promises more tax cuts under Conservatives to support “risk takers”, pensioners, home-owners and families.
“Now, I don’t need to tell all of you in London what that looks like. Sadiq Khan whacking up council tax by 70%, pricing motorists off the road with Ulez, allowing knife crime to soar.
“But it doesn’t stop there. Labour have bankrupted Birmingham, the largest local authority in Europe and people there are paying the price with 20% higher council tax.”
Mr Sunak added: “Now, it suits lots of people to say that the result of this election is a foregone conclusion but I know that it is not. Just 130,000 people switching their vote, giving us their support, is what it will take to deny Labour that supermajority they want. Every single vote matters.”
Rishi Sunak thanks Boris for his ‘great support’
“Isn’t it great to have our Conservative family united my friends?”, Rishi Sunak tells the crowd as Boris exits the stage.
He added: “Just think, just think, it was just the other day when Keir Starmer was saying that Jeremy Corbyn would have been a better prime minister than Boris.
“Shameful. Can you imagine what that would have meant for Ukraine? What it would have meant for our country’s security, our defence, the damage it would have done to our economy?”
He tells the packed room: “We have 48 hours to save Britain from the danger of a Labour government.”
Boris Johnson said ‘cocky’ Labour’s agenda to raise taxes and ‘wokery imposed on schools’
Boris Johnson thanked attendees for “coming so late, way past Keir Starmer’s bed time”.
“When Rishi asked me to come and help of course I couldn’t say no,” he continued.
“We’re all here because we love our country.”
He joked Sir Keir Starmer mouth opens like a “stunned mullet” on issues of sex and gender.
He called a gigantic Labour majority would be “pregnant with horrors”.
Mr Johnson told the audience a Labour government would increase taxes and would not stand up to Vladimir Putin.
“They will scrap the Rwanda plan,” he said before describing Labour MPs as “Kremlin crawlers”.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments