Last Friday there were more than a few miffed Northern MPs willing to give spicy anonymous Lobby-terms quotes to hacks, after the PM pulled out of his Northern Research Group conference appearance to hop on a secret flight to Ukraine. Despite ministers, backbenchers and Jake Berry himself defending Boris’s decision, one ‘senior NRG figure’ told the press the MP had shown “total contempt” for them, after backing him in the leadership vote. Another NRG source told The Telegraph’s Chopper “Sadly today’s events show the PM has no commitment to levelling up, his voters, or the North of England”:
NEW A Northern Research Group source said: "Sadly, today’s events show the PM has no commitment to levelling up, his voters, or the North of England.
— Christopher Hope📝 (@christopherhope) June 17, 2022
"He is burning through goodwill, and looks scared to come and engage with the very group who delivered for him during the vote."
Unfortunately for the group, these anonymous briefings were a step too far for Mark Jenkinson, the Workington MP after whom the crucial 2019 voters Boris had to win – ‘Workington Man’ – are named. Guido’s now seen screenshots of the NRG Whatsapp group aftermath that Friday afternoon, which involved Jenkinson proclaiming “I always considered this group to contain fewer c***s than others. Goes to show you never can tell.” Promptly exiting the chat…
Such a happy family…
