Optimistic Richard Holden with political editor David Williamson (Image: Express)
Tory chairman Richard Holden insists the Conservatives are still “100 per cent” capable of winning the General Election.
He says a full-throttle campaign is being prepared which will see Rishi Sunak “knock the socks off Sleepy Starmer”.
His defiant declaration comes as fears grow among Labour activists that their poll lead could collapse and they may end up “way short of an overall majority”. One MP privately admitted that he viewed Sir Keir as a “charisma-free zone”.
Tories believe that clear and “cavernous” dividing lines which are opening up between the two parties will play into their hands.
Key issues include tax, immigration, benefit reforms and defence.
Mr Holden warned it would be “batty” to ditch the Tories in favour of Reform UK and voters must “realise that if they don’t vote Conservative then they are going to end up with a Labour Government”.
He pointed to dismay when Tory Andy Street lost the West Midlands mayoralty by only 1,508 votes as 34,471 people backed Reform. The party chairman also gave a stern warning that disunity could kill off Conservative chances of staying in power. “People do not vote for divided parties,” he said. Meanwhile, Labour has emailed supporters to alert them they could wake up the day after the election and find the Conservatives have won “another five years in power”. The email states this is “what is at risk this year”.
A senior Labour MP warned: “I personally think we are heading towards a hung parliament, adding: “Keir Starmer is a charisma-free zone. He is not Tony Blair.”
Mr Holden looks forward to Mr Sunak and Sir Keir facing off in the election.
He said: “I can guarantee this – he will knock the socks off Sleepy Starmer when it comes to getting out there and getting out around the country. Keir is hoping the country sleepwalks into a Labour Government.
“My job and the Prime Minister’s is to ensure that doesn’t happen.”
Richard Holden isn’t giving up on another Tory victory just yet (Image: Express)
Former Labour leader Lord Kinnock also highlighted the lack of excitement around Sir Keir. When asked on Radio 4’s The Week In Westminster if the country was disillusioned with the Tories but “not yet fully convinced or in love with the Labour pitch,” he said: “I think that’s fair.”
He did not think Labour would “lose” but refused to speculate on the size of a majority.
A Labour source warned Sir Keir could end up “falling way short of an overall majority and chaos will reign in the country,” adding: “Unfortunately, I don’t think Keir has either the leadership skills or charisma or communication skills to lead a Minority Government and it is very, very scary what could be store for the party.”
The Labour anxiety contrasts with rising Tory hopes that the polls will narrow.
Mr Holden argues stark differences are now opening up between the two parties.
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“There are clear dividing lines on policy which are underscored by a real difference in principles,” he said.
Cabinet Office Minister Esther McVey will tomorrow declare a “common sense fightback” is under way in Government when she delivers a major speech. She will praise the PM for pulling the plug on the HS2 rail project beyond Birmingham and push for the public sector to focus on delivering services rather than “politically correct hobby horses”. She will also say: “To be honest, it’s easy to be the Minister of Common Sense in a Government led by Rishi Sunak.”
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner’s plans to overhaul workers’ rights will be a key target in the election campaign.
Accusing the Opposition of “taking the knee to the union paymasters,” Mr Holden claimed that moving to a system of “French-style workers’ rights” would be a “genuine disaster for this country” because employers “won’t take people on”.
He said this would be a “real disaster” for young people who do not have “family connections” to give them a “leg up into jobs”.
Stressing the Conservatives want to go further on tax cuts, he said: “It’s pretty clear Labour cannot be trusted when it comes to normal working-class people who are saving hard and doing the right things.”
And warning the election will have global repercussions, Mr Holden pointed to the Tories’ record on supporting Ukraine.
“I don’t think we’d have even sent helmets if Jeremy Corbyn had been there,” he said.
Tory critics of Mr Sunak stepped back from trying to trigger a vote of confidence in his leadership after the local election results earlier this month.
And Mr Holden played down the depths of division in Conservative ranks.
“It’s a bit like when you’re with the family over Christmas dinner,” he said. “You’re all there because you actually love each other, otherwise you’d all be somewhere else.”
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