THERESA May will today travel to another Labour heartland to launch a direct attack on Jeremy Corbyn, accusing him of having “deserted proud and patriotic working class people”.
The Prime Minister will make what some have dubbed a “red Tory” pitch in the north east of England, where at present the 12 Westminster seats all have healthy Labour majorities; most over 12,000.
However, earlier this month the Conservative candidate scored a stunning victory in the Tees Valley mayoral race. Ben Houchen described his win as a “political earthquake”.
And in this “Brexit election” Mrs May will be mindful that out of the seven north east council areas, only one voted to stay in the European Union.
With polls suggesting the Tories lead Labour by anything between 15 and 19 points, the PM is confident to promise that she will campaign “in all corners of the United Kingdom”.
The Conservative leader will say Labour has let down its traditional supporters and only she can offer every community a “positive alternative to Jeremy Corbyn’s nonsensical and incompetent Labour Party and the coalition of chaos that would put him in Number 10”.
Once again, framing the election as a presidential race, she will say: “So far during this campaign, we have learned one thing about Jeremy Corbyn: proud and patriotic working class people in towns and cities across Britain have not deserted the Labour Party; Jeremy Corbyn has deserted them.
“Millions of people here in the north east of England, and across our country, have loyally given the Labour Party their allegiance for generations. I respect that.
“We respect that parents and grandparents taught their children and grandchildren that Labour was a party that shared their values and stood up for their community. But across the country today, traditional Labour supporters are increasingly looking at what Jeremy Corbyn believes in and are appalled.”
She will point to the “shambolic leak” of Labour’s manifesto, which Mrs May will say has at its heart a “desire to go back to the disastrous socialist policies of the 1970s”.
“Labour voters,” the PM will claim, “are appalled because they see a leader, who can’t lead, a Shadow Chancellor, who can’t be trusted and people like Diane Abbott who can’t add up.”
Highlighting Conservative policies to cap energy bills, protect workplace pensions and improve mental health provision while investing in the armed forces, Mrs May will say that she will reach out to “all those who have been abandoned by Labour and let down by government for too long”.
She will add: “If you put your trust in me, back me, I will strive to be a leader worthy of our great country.”
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