Voters in Boris Johnson’s former constituency have said they are turning away from the Tories as Labour tries to win the seat for the first time in its history.
Some passers-by in the centre of Uxbridge, at the heart of the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency where a by-election will now take place, told the PA news agency they have abandoned the party.
The seat is becoming increasingly competitive for Labour – which is seeking to overturn a 7,200 majority.
However, some in the seat said the former PM was the victim of a partygate stitch-up.
Ron Redworth, 61, who works for Waitrose and lives in nearby Windsor and Maidenhead – which Theresa May represents, said: “I was surprised (to hear Boris had resigned), I was very surprised.
“I feel there has been an attempt to oust him because he was pro-Brexit.
“He should definitely have resigned over the coronavirus because you can’t be the leader of your country and carry on like that.
“You have to toe the line.
“He should have resigned as prime minister but not as an MP.”
Lea Valaris, 70, who lives in marginal Harrow, said: “He has probably done the right thing.
“I voted for him. He was a good prime minister, especially in relation to Ukraine. However he was kind of immature, he ran Downing Street a bit too lax. He should have tightened the reins.”
She said she has never voted Labour before, but is “not sure” who she will vote for at this stage.
She went on: “The Conservatives have not lived up to my expectations at all.
“They have had, unfortunately, a series of rather weak PMs.
“David Cameron, he should never have called the referendum and then Theresa May, I expected a bit more from her.”
Anna Casey, 40, who lives in the constituency said: “This is a born liar. He was going to do all he could to stop the Third Runway and HS2 but he did a complete U-turn.
“I won’t be voting for the Conservatives in the by-election even though I have voted for them before.
“If he had stuck to his word maybe I would have voted for them again.”
Debbie Cusmans, 59, a carer who lives in the constituency, stood by the ex-PM.
She said: “We voted for Boris Johnson as our MP and the people voted for Boris Johnson as our prime minister. It is disgusting that they have taken away our votes and put Rishi Sunak in as PM.
“They said he was having parties, he wasn’t having parties. He was having a leaving event.. and he had meetings, business meetings he didn’t have any parties.
“People like Rishi Sunak don’t like Boris because Boris left the EU got Brexit done, and was taking back control of our country and people like Rishi Sunak don’t want the people to take back control of our country.”
Herbert Crossman, 75, is thinking of standing as an independent councillor as he believes the major parties do not have the answers to problems facing the UK.
He said: “He’s been hung and drawn in one fell swoop hasn’t he. He’s lied all the way along and you can’t carry on like that. The country needs stability now it doesn’t need unrest, which is what we’ve got, and I’m afraid the party system is defunct, it’s finished.
“The two party system has got to go, we’ve got to have change to happen if the country is going to grow again and expand.”
