Boris Johnson ‘kicking himself’ over by-election says Walden

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The Former Director of Communications and previous aide to Boris Johnson shared insight into how the Prime Minister will have reacted to the loss of suffered in the by-election. The Liberal Democrats faired well due to recent scandals surrounding Boris Johnson and other Tory MPs, the allegations of Tories possibly breaking rules last year during lockdown has caused much controversy in the UK. Mr Walden gave Mr Johnson advice on how to handle his current predicament as the effects of recent headlines have caused a major uprising amongst voters in the traditionally conservative area.

Mr Walden told Sky News: “Look there’s no getting away from this, this is a thumping at the time when the Prime Minister’s authority is already under threat.

“And I think it’s very difficult to do what they always do which is to brush this off as a typical by-election, midterm blip.

“And I suspect the PM this morning is privately kicking himself, it’s a largely self-inflicted wound.

“It’s a by-election that should never have happened and it comes on the back of some very damaging headlines.

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Mr Walden added: “And if I was a Tory activist or a Tory MP this morning, yeah I’d be concerned, more importantly, if I was the Prime Minister this morning, I’d be concerned.

“The result here should never have been in doubt, this is a Tory seat it’s been a Tory seat for nearly 200 years.

“And I think there’s a clear message here from the Tory heartland in Shropshire, it’s ‘get your act together’.

 “To your point about whether he can sort this out, I think the first thing I would be saying to him if he asked if I was still advising him would be, take a break.

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Mr Walden added: “I think he’s had some huge responsibilities over the last couple of years, I think he needs to recharge.

“He needs to reaccess his priorities and think about what really matters.

“You know look, Boris Johnson is not a man who changes easily but I think that clearly, this is a wake-up call and a very present wake-up call.

“And he will need to think about the tone that he sets in Downing Street and the way that he runs his government.

“And the government will generally have to think about what the priorities are and how they’re going to act upon them.

“Because you know clearly there’s no getting away from the fact that this is a really big problem for the Prime Minister.”

Speaking out about the results later on Friday, Mr Johnson said: “Clearly the vote in North Shropshire is a very disappointing result.

“I totally understand people’s frustrations, I hear what the voters are saying in North Shropshire. In all humility, I’ve got to accept that verdict.

“I understand that what voters want us as the government to be doing at all times is to focus on them and their priorities.

When asked by a reporter if he felt any personal responsibility for the loss, Johnson said: “I do. I think my job is to get over what we’re doing more effectively.

Not eluding to a possible resignation, Johnson added: “What we’re focusing on is getting the job done. I think that is what people would want me to be focused on right now.”

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