Sajid Javid rallies the local Tories ahead of next week’s council elections

SAJID Javid robustly defended Boris Johnson as he came to rally the Camden Conservatives’ troops on Saturday.

The health secretary insisted the prime minister should not resign, and he himself was not interested in the top job. He said he was confident the Tory vote would hold up at council elections next Thursday, despite what he described as “the events in Westminster”.

“No, not at all,” he said when asked if the PM should resign.

“I think he’s come to Parliament and been straightforward and frank. He’s getting on with the big job at home, not least coming out of Covid. We are the most open country in the world.

“And internationally, where the UK has been leading the community in responding to Russian aggression.”

Although several Tory MPs have criticised Mr Johnson or even called for him to step aside, no councillor, candidate or prominent member in Camden has made any real comment on Mr Johnson’s recent record.

The Tory group at the Town Hall maintain a policy of only commenting on issues they feel they can change as local councillors. On the ballot paper, they will appear as ‘Local Conservatives’.

Asked if wanted to be PM, Mr Javid said: “I tried that already, it didn’t work. Now I’m focused on my work.”

His arrival was one of the only big name set pieces of the election campaign in Camden, with none of the other parties arranging the customary big figure visits in the run-up to polling day.

Karen Bradley, the former secretary of state for Northern Ireland, was also at the rally, held in a familiar placard battleground: the forecourt outside Waitrose in Finchley Road.

Mr Javid said he was “feeling confident” about the local message cutting through, adding: “Our strong message resonates with people. Definitely. “Of course there are lots of things going on, there are always events going on in Westminster. The only poll that matters is the one on May 5.”

Mr Javid said he was “very impressed with the turnout” of local Tories. The brief rally was met with a few heckles and muttering from passers-by.

But Mr Javid said: “Our message is keep your taxes low, make sure you get good quality local services, and the delivery of those services is good. Wherever Conservatives are in charge of local government, people get better delivery. Look at rubbish in Camden where it’s once a fortnight, in Kensington and Chelsea it’s three times a week.”

He added: “What you get from Camden Council, whenever I look at them, is they are campaigning on things that don’t have anything to do with local government: recognising foreign governments and things like that.”

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