It will be revealed today who has won the race to become the next Prime Minister – but what is Boris Johnson’s legacy for Cumbria and the country?
Mr Johnson announced in July that he would step down as Prime Minister this week following a leadership race to find his successor. Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will find out later today who will be named the next PM.
Opinions are divided amongst Cumbrian politicos on whether Mr Johnson leaves a positive legacy behind for the successful candidate.
John Stevenson, Carlisle’s Conservative MP, said that Mr Johnson’s legacy was significant. He said: “He was one of the key architects of Brexit, he then won a sizeable majority in the 2019 election.
“He overall handled the vaccine rollout very well. He was London mayor at a time nobody thought London would vote for a Conservative. I think he’s been a major player in the British political scene.”
Whether Mr Johnson will remain an MP after handing over the key to Number 10 is up in the air.
But Mr Stevenson said: “I hope he does stay on, I think it’s a shame politicians now feel the need to leave Parliament much earlier than they should.”
Spokesman for Carlisle and District Green Party Gavin Hawkton said: “From our perspective, it’s been a disaster. I’m not even sure you could call it leadership; trying to prorogue Parliament, lying. Trust in politics is at an all time low, it’s been a train wreck.
“He seems to be acting in a presidential role, he doesn’t seem to be held accountable for his actions and I think it’s such a shame for the Conservative Party to be supporting him all this time.”
“I would say he’s damaged democracy, within the Green Party he’s very much a disliked figure.”
Labour member of the new Cumberland Council Joseph Ghayouba said: “We should be in the middle of building a new nuclear power station (it was shortlisted by Labour in 2009), Moorside securing a generation of jobs and low carbon energy to keep our energy bills down.
“Instead, we have nothing but a country and community in decline due to a decade of austerity, cuts underinvestment, outsourcing, privatisations, a huge transfer of wealth from ordinary people to the very richest people and corporations in our society. That’s the legacy I’m afraid.”
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and the Border, said: “I firmly believe it was important that the Prime Minister stepped down and I had been calling for a transition in leadership for some considerable time now.
“This was the right and proper thing to do for our country. I very much pay tribute to Mr Johnson’s achievements in office, not least overseeing the COVID vaccination rollout, the amazing Government support for people and businesses through the pandemic, leading the UK’s support for our friends in beleaguered Ukraine, and driving forward the levelling up agenda.
“Moving forward, I wish Mr Johnson well. This leadership election has made clear that we have a broad range of talent across the Conservative Parliamentary Party.
“The new leader, and Prime Minister, whoever she or he may be, will have my full support. I will continue my focus of representing the people of Penrith and the Border to the best of my ability.”
