‘Worst campaign in my lifetime’: The Tory election blame game has begun

Rishi Sunak holds a speech during his visit to the Well Healthcare Supplies as he campaigns in the Midlands, in Stoke (Photo: Dan Kitwood/Reuters)

Senior Tories have already started to point the finger at who is to blame for the party’s misfiring general election race after one branded it “the worst campaign in my lifetime”.

With 48 hours still to go until the public head to the ballot box, recriminations were already starting over who was responsible for the campaign strategy, which has been pockmarked by missteps, blunders and scandals.

In particular, senior party figures are furious over the handling of Reform and its leader Nigel Farage, with many “Red Wall”-facing candidates adamant that CCHQ should have gone harder with its criticism of the hard right party, earlier in the campaign.

While ultimately party sources believe Rishi Sunak is wholly responsible for the disappointing campaign, one senior insider said Isaac Levido, the Tory campaign chief, will also take his fair share of flak for how the campaign has been led.

“Isaac will get some criticism but he’ll just be able to brief that he was always against a summer election and that he wanted to wait until the autumn. But ultimately it will be Rishi who takes most of the blame,” the senior source said.

The figure argued that Conservative HQ should have “taken the fight to Reform” much earlier, before adding: “It’s the worst campaign in my lifetime.”

According to the insider, Mr Levido had made it clear from the start that 2019 Tory switchers to Labour were “gone and never coming back”, and advised all candidates to target their efforts at Reform voters instead.

Tories defending Red Wall seats had urged party headquarters to go much harder against Mr Farage, only for senior members of the Cabinet and former ministers to argue that candidates should “just ignore them” in the belief they will “go away”.

The senior figure said the mood on the Tory WhatsApp groups was that it was “tough out there”, while those whose seats were less difficult were “focusing on what’s left” and what’s next.

The source added that even candidates defending seats with majorities over 20,000 were feeling the squeeze. “I helped to campaign in one seat and after knocking on doors I said: ‘This doesn’t feel like a seat with a 23,000 majority.’”

There are also complaints over the amount of money being spent by CCHQ on individual candidates’ campaigns, with candidates lamenting the fact they have to cover all expenses themselves, including for online campaigns.

The figure said that they had not seen any leaflets sent out under “national spend”, meaning from central headquarter funds – but had received a Sir Keir Starmer leaflet through their own letterbox.

This was compared to 2019, when there was plenty of funding for digital campaigning – but none had been provided this time.

Speaking to Times Radio, the Prime Minister insisted he took “full responsibility” for the election campaign, but insisted: “This election is not over. There’s a clear choice for everybody in a few days’ time. If you want your taxes cut, your pension protected, your border secure, only a vote for the Conservatives is going to deliver that for you.”

He added: “And look, I appreciate that people have got frustrations. The last few years have not been easy. People are frustrated with me, with the party.”

The Tories have shifted their campaign messaging over the last 24 hours, telling voters that just 130,000 votes could decide the outcome of around 100 seats and therefore stop Labour from securing an overall majority come Thursday.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Oxfordshire, Mr Sunak will urge voters not to hand Labour what he described as a “supermajority” by “lending” the Conservatives their votes on polling day.

“Independent analysis shows an estimated 130,000 votes could decide upwards of 100 seats. In tight constituency races, just a small number of people lending their vote to the Conservatives would prevent a Labour supermajority,” Mr Sunak will say.

It comes as Chief Secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott writes in i that “if this small group of people decide they want more money in their pockets every month it would prevent a Labour supermajority”.

“At this election, there is a clear choice. Either Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer will control how much tax you pay,” she says, before insisting: “This election is far from a foregone conclusion. If you care about having more money in your pocket, sensible spending and lower taxes, it is a straightforward decision.”

130,000 voters can prevent a huge Labour majority

You have never had more power to decide who you trust with your taxes. And there are only two options: higher taxes with Labour, or lower taxes with us. It’s that straightforward.

Despite the warning of some polls, which show the prospect of a Labour supermajority, this election is going to incredibly tight. Analysis shows an estimated 130,000 votes could decide upwards of 100 seats.

If this small group of people decide they want more money in their pockets every month it would prevent a Labour supermajority.

Make your vote count.

Don’t be fooled, Labour are light years apart from us on tax. As backed up by the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies, Labour will hike your taxes to record heights, and we Conservatives will keep them lower.

Whatever your stage of life, we will ensure you have more money left in your pocket at the end of the month. We will cut your taxes.

It is more than just a difference of opinion. It’s far deeper than that. It goes to the core of who we are.

As Conservatives we know deep down that you can spend your money far better than the state ever can.

As a pretext for their forthcoming tax hikes, Labour has tried to say they would wait and see what the books say when they get in before they rule out tax rises. But the independent IFS has blown that excuse out of the water.

Labour are asking you to hand them a blank cheque at this election because they won’t be honest with you about which taxes they would raise. For the first time in history, they would drag the state pension into income tax and he has refused to rule out a council tax raid.

The contrast couldn’t be starker. Since January we have cut the taxes of the average worker by £900, putting more money back in the pockets of hard-working people.  The average earner in the UK now has the lowest personal tax rate for over 50 years.

We have set a tax cutting course. We will cut national insurance by a further £450 for the average worker by 2027. We will abolish self-employed national insurance contributions to help the entrepreneurs that fuel the nation’s economy. We will make sure the state pension is never dragged into income tax. We will abolish Stamp Duty for first-time buyers up to £425,000 to help more young people get the keys to their first home.

And so much more.

But all this good work will be undone if we wake up to a Labour government on July 5th.

At this election, there is a clear choice. Either Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer will control how much tax you pay.

This election is far from a foregone conclusion. If you care about having more money in your pocket, sensible spending and lower taxes, it is a straightforward decision.

Laura Trott

Laura Trott is Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Conservative candidate for Sevenoaks