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Boris Johnson has insisted sleaze allegations levelled at the Conservatives will not affect voters’ choice in upcoming by-elections.
The prime minister visited Sidcup on Friday afternoon ahead of a vote next month to replace former minister James Brokenshire who died of cancer last month.
He said the local candidate in Old Bexley and Sidcup was strong enough to mean voters will back the Tories.
Asked whether he feared public concern over standards would lose the Conservatives the Sidcup by-election, Mr Johnson said: “No, because Louie French is running a great campaign on the big issues that matter to people.
“(He is) building on the legacy of James Brokenshire, ensuring that Queen Mary Hospital has ever better faculties and making sure that we have ever safer streets in Greater London.”
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The PM’s faith in his party comes after leaked text messages seen by the Times suggested Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries accused fellow Tories of peddling “totally not true” predictions that the sleaze allegations over second jobs would hurt the party at the ballot box.
However, new polling has the Tories losing their lead over Labour, or it being greatly reduced.
A YouGov poll carried out this week found the Conservatives and Labour would have an equal 35% of the vote share, while two thirds of voters view the Tories as “very sleazy”.
Another survey by Redfield and Wilton Strategies on Wednesday put Labour two points ahead of the Conservatives.
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Govt ‘needs to do better’ on sleaze
There is also suggestion of tension between Tory MPs elected in…
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Source : skynews
