Target first-time Tory voters, Blair urges Labour
The Independent|January 23, 2022
The Labour Party must capitalise on the defection of a red wall Tory MP by laying claim to the centre ground, Sir Tony Blair has told The Independent.
ANNA ISAAC
Target first-time Tory voters, Blair urges Labour

Christian Wakeford, the MP for Bury South, crossed the floor this week, adding to Boris Johnson’s woes as he remains mired in the Partygate scandal.

The former prime minister said the moment had a “bigger significance” than the Partygate row and Sir Keir Starmer should use the moment to win over those who voted Conservative in 2019.

He said: “It does show that there’s a group of people who maybe backed the Tories for the first time who are having second thoughts.

“At the minimum, you’re trying to persuade people who voted for Boris Johnson to vote for you. Right? There’s no point in treating them as if they’re dyed-in-the-wool members of the left because they’re obviously not.

This story is from the January 23, 2022 edition of The Independent.

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This story is from the January 23, 2022 edition of The Independent.

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