Mayor admits Tories left 'hacked off' by Government - but backs PM to turn things around
Andy Street has backed Rishi Sunak to get the Tories back on track – after admitting his party had let voters’ down last year.
The West Midlands Mayor said even Conservative supporters had been left “utterly hacked off” in a year which saw the collapse of two administrations.
But he insisted Mr Sunak could lead the party – and the country – to better times by dealing with key issues including levelling up and the cost of living.
The Tories started 2023 on the back foot, with the latest polls predicting electoral wipe out at the next general election, which is scheduled to take place no later than January 2025.
Mr Street told the Express & Star: “We can’t underestimate the size of the challenge ahead. It is pretty huge with two years to go.
“What I will say is that we are not currently seeing huge numbers of Conservative supporters suddenly going to vote Labour. What we are seeing is our supporters not bothering to turn up at the ballot box.
“I’m not saying they aren’t utterly hacked off, but this is not 1997 and they haven’t signed up to any pact Keir Starmer has made with the country.
“So the jury is still out. I think there is regard – and this is reflected in some of the polls – that Rishi Sunak is seen as someone who is capable of getting his brain around the really big issues and bringing in the right policies to address them.
“It is really down, not just to Rishi Sunak, but to the whole party. Can we be disciplined, can we deliver on the front line? It is in our hands to do that.”
Reflecting on the turmoil that engulfed his party last year, he added: “Were people let down and were mistakes made? Yes – but that doesn’t necessarily mean the decisions were wrong.
“I was a firm supporter of Boris Johnson but eventually he had to go because of this whole question of moral authority. Any leader has to have that and sadly he had lost it.”
Mr Street said he expected the parliamentary party to come together, “if only out of self-preservation”. He said his cabinet appointments had been astute in that they would not alienate supporters of his predecessors, Mr Johnson and Liz Truss. He added: “I think the Prime Minister’s been very wise. The fact that he is not an ideologue gives him an opportunity. And with his cabinet he’s attempted to create a ministry of all talents, which gives us a chance.”
Mr Street revealed he was yet to speak with Mr Sunak face-to-face since he entered Number 10 in October, but said he was confident the PM understood the importance of the West Midlands.
He said through ministers Mr Sunak had laid out a “clear path” that would see greater powers for the region through a trailblazer devolution deal, while levelling up was also “still a priority”.
“We were in a good place under Boris Johnson and indeed under Liz Truss,” the Mayor said. “But Rishi has given his ministers the instruction that I wanted, which is to pursue the trailblazer devolution deal at full pace. We’ve been talking to lots of cabinet ministers about that, including Michael Gove and Mark Harper. I am quite comfortable that he understands how important the West Midlands is politically and economically.”
Mr Street pointed out that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt – who he backed in two leadership contests – chose the West Midlands as his first port of call following his budget speech.
He said that while the year ahead was likely to be “really tough” there were reasons for optimism in the West Midlands. The region’s new devolution deal would be a major boost, he said, potentially providing more control over R&D funds, as well as cash for brownfield regeneration through a multi-million pound affordable housing fund.
He says he is confident of increasing inward investment, with three times more businesses considering locating in the region than there was at the start of 2022.
He also insisted better times were ahead for public transport, with the Metro extension is Wolverhampton finally set for completion in the weeks ahead after delays and budget issues.
And Mr Street said he aims to build on the “incredible high spot” of 2022 – the Commonwealth Games. “As a region we put on a brilliant show and everything worked,” said Mr Street, who has committed to standing for a third term as mayor should he be re-selected.
“The job now is how we leverage that going forward.
“We’ve got to make sure it’s not the end of the story and that we make sure the legacy sticks.”
“Clearly, we have got to navigate the economic downturn, which means giving people new opportunities here. I feel personally responsible for trying to lead the region through that.
“So far £4.9billion has been brought into the West Midlands Combined Authority from central government. My job is to make sure that rattles up many times more.”
