Boris Johnson is facing ridicule after he appeared confused about the location of his campaign activity in north-east England.
In a since-deleted tweet, the prime minister called for his followers to vote Conservative in Thursday’s local elections and stated that he was in Teesside where the Conservatives are “delivering a massive programme of investment as part of our plan to level up the whole of the UK”.
Many on Twitter were quick to point out that the prime minister was in Whitley Bay, which is in North Tyneside and not Teesside, about 40 miles away.
Alan Campbell, MP for Tynemouth and opposition chief whip, retweeted the post and said: “The PM believes he was campaigning in Teesside. Actually he was in Whitley Bay North Tyneside. He doesn’t really care where he is or what he says. He doesn’t really care about who he meets or what they care about. Vote Labour on Thursday.”
The PM believes he was campaigning in Teesside. Actually he was in Whitley Bay North Tyneside. He doesn’t really care where he is or what he says. He doesn’t really care about who he meets or what they care about. Vote Labour on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/B5UOdK1yen
— Alan Campbell MP (@alancampbellmp) May 2, 2022
Angela Rayner, MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, who has written to Boris Johnson calling for answers after reports a “sexist of the year” award was handed out at a No 10 Christmas party, tweeted her shock at the mistake: “Erm … how to say this …? That’s not Teesside.”
Bridget Phillipson, MP for Houghton and Sunderland South, shared her frustration at the prime minister’s lack of knowledge regarding the north-east: “Teesside, Tyneside, all the same to him. He doesn’t even know where he is. Britain deserves better. On Thursday, vote Labour.”
Residents of both Teesside and Tyneside also voiced their concern that that prime minister appears not to know which part of the country he is campaigning in, yet seeks to encourage voters in those areas to vote Conservative on Thursday.
“Tell me we’re the forgotten north without telling me we’re the forgotten north” read one Twitter post, while another user pointed out that despite the Conservatives deleting the tweet and posting another with “north east” instead of Teesside, an “hour is a long time in politics when you think Whitley Bay is in Teesside”.
