Bloomberg reports that some Tory candidates were told yesterday that funds and favourable access to party activists were being withdrawn, while “other activists in different parts of Britain would have been told to head to the constituencies of Cabinet ministers seen as under threat.” A less-than-tacit admission that the campaign has retreated to last resort defence…
The situation is worse than it looks. Guido hears as early as the 13th June candidates were informed that their campaign managers, responsible for crucial on-ground operations, were being moved to seats with 10,000+ majorities. Resources were even taken away from Cabinet ministers…
Inside CCHQ fears that the party would return 60-80 seats, which were once dismissed as overly dramatic, are now the expectation. Yesterday’s MRP blitz has hammered that point home…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”