Boris Johnson makes surprise appearance at Tory campaign event - as he calls for voters to stop 'Starmergeddon'
2 July 2024, 21:58 | Updated: 3 July 2024, 02:27
Boris Johnson has made a surprise appearance at a Conservative campaign event in London - as he called for voters to stop 'Starmergeddon'.
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The Conservatives brought out their last-minute secret weapon on Tuesday evening as Boris Johnson reunited with Rishi Sunak.
It came as part of a final push before Brits head to polling stations on Thursday for the general election.
The former PM was greeted by cheers, claps, whistles and chants of "Boris, Boris, Boris" as he made his way on stage.
Read more: Rishi Sunak claims Labour would cause 'irreversible damage within first 100 days' in Downing Street
Boris Johnson speaks at Tory rally
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In an immediate jibe at Labour, he thanked attendees for "coming so late, way past Keir Starmer's bed time".
"When Rishi asked me to come and help of course I couldn't say no," he said.
"We're all here because we love our country."
Mr Johnson went on to warn that a Labour supermajority would see the country "lurch in diametrically the wrong direction".
He said those considering instead voting for Reform should "draw back from the brink" to stop Sir Keir's "sledgehammer majority".
A Labour government would increase taxes and would not stand up to Vladimir Putin, Mr Johnson suggested.
"They will scrap the Rwanda plan," he said before describing Labour MPs as "Kremlin crawlers".
Iain Dale reacts to Boris Johnson's surprise campaign speech
Mr Johnson led the Tories to victory in 2019 against Jeremy Corbyn's Labour.
He told crowds: "They can achieve nothing in this election except to usher in the most left-wing Labour government since the war with a huge majority, and we must not let it happen.
"Don't let the Putinistas deliver the Corbynistas. Don't let Putin's pet parrots give this entire country psittacosis - which is a disease you get by the way from cosying up to pet parrots.
"Friends, if you actually - everybody if you actually want higher taxes next week, this year, if you feel you've got a few thousands to spare, then vote Labour on Thursday.
"If you want uncontrolled immigration and mandatory wokery, and pointless kowtowing to Brussels again, then go right ahead, make my day, vote for Starmer.
"But if you want to protect our democracy and our economy and keep this country strong abroad by spending 2.5% of our GDP on defence which Labour still refuses to commit to, then you know what to do, don't you, everybody?
"There's only one thing to do - vote Conservative on Thursday my friends and I know you will. I know you will."
Boris Johnson makes surprise return
Following Mr Johnson on Tuesday evening, Mr Sunak hailed the "Conservative family united".
He claimed just 130,000 voters could help stem his party's predicted losses.
It came after Survation pollsters found Labour is on course to win more seats than it did in 1997.
But Labour leader Sir Keir has brushed off claims his party is on for a landslide, saying: "Every single vote has to be earned."
He told campaigners: "People are saying the polls predict the future - they don't predict the future, every single vote counts, every single vote has to be earned and in places like this it'll probably go down to a few hundred either way and therefore the worst thing for people who want change is to think 'job done' and 'we don't need to vote because there's going to be a majority in any event'.
"It isn't 'job done'."
The Tory rally was one of the final events before voting takes place on Thursday.
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper described Mr Johnson's appearance as "a desperate new low" for Mr Sunak's campaign.
"This is an insult to everyone who made heart-breaking sacrifices during the pandemic," she said.
"Rishi Sunak has reached a desperate new low, turning to a man who discredited the office of prime minister and lied to the country time after time.
"It is time to boot out this tired and sleaze-ridden Conservative party, and elect Liberal Democrat MPs who will stand up for their communities."
