Election 2019: Boris Johnson says Labour’s Ashworth ‘absolutely right’ on Corbyn
Boris Johnson has said Labour’s Jon Ashworth is “absolutely right” about Jeremy Corbyn, after a recording of the shadow health secretary criticising his leader emerged today.
The recording, leaked to Guido Fawkes by Ashworth’s Tory activist friend, reveals the Leicester South candidate admitting Labour’s prospects are “abysmal”and “dire” in towns in the Midlands and the north of England.
Ashworth appeared to suggest Corbyn posed a threat to national security, saying the civil service would “pretty quickly move to safeguard security” if Labour won the election.
He also said Corbyn’s personal brand had hamstrung them in the campaign, alongside the party’s stance on Brexit.
“They don’t like Johnson but they can’t stand Corbyn and they think Labour’s blocked Brexit,” he is heard saying.
Speaking from Staffordshire this afternoon, Johnson said: “Jon Ashworth says the reason they are failing to persuade people to vote for [Jeremy Corbyn] is he is blocking Brexit.
“He is absolutely right.”
Labour’s Brexit plan – to negotiate a new deal with the EU and then put it to the country in a second referendum – is “ludicrous” and would be “disastrous for our country”, he added.
But asked whether Ashworth was right that the Conservatives would easily beat Labour on Thursday, Johnson insisted it was still “close fought”.
“Polls can be wrong and we need to be fighting every vote.”
Main image: Getty