Carlisle City Council’s Conservative leader has blamed Boris Johnson for his party’s devastating collapse in the local elections.
John Mallinson spoke to Cumbria Crack after his party took only three out of a total of 18 available seats in Carlisle – and only seven in the Cumberland Council election.
“I’m very, very disappointed but not entirely surprised,” he said. “Things aren’t going too well it has to be said. Most of our woes are national rather than local.”
“I think things like Partygate are going very much against us. I fully expect the 54 letters to be submitted to the chairman of the 1922 committee. I am very sure the PM’s position is untenable.
“There was very much an anti-Boris feel. It is very, very frustrating. We have a very good team and we have only taken three out of the 18 seats in Carlisle which is unheard of. “We have a lot of good and talented candidates and we have lost some very good people.”
Mr Mallinson, who recorded a convincing victory in the Houghton and Irthington ward, picking up more than 600 votes more than his nearest challenger, has also been speaking to Radio 4.
He said his party had felt a lot of anger while they were out on the streets.
“We’re in a difficult position regarding the economy and are really hurting due to the Ukraine war and the pandemic,” he said.
