Tories call on Boris Johnson to tackle Reform challenge

The Tories are trying to bring in Boris Johnson to play a more active role in their election campaign to counter Reform UK.

The Telegraph reported that tens of thousands of letters signed by Johnson will be sent to voters this week. The Conservatives warn that voting for Reform could put Labour in power for "a generation."

This mail campaign is Johnson's closest involvement yet in the Conservative efforts to improve poll standings. Targeted voters include those who supported the party under Johnson but are now considering Reform, according to the newspaper.

For the first time, the Conservative Party has fallen behind the anti-immigration Reform UK party in a YouGov poll, which described the development as a "seismic shift."

The new poll, conducted last week, shows Reform with 19 per cent support ahead of the elections next month, compared to the Conservatives' 18 per cent. Both parties are significantly trailing behind the Labour Party.

Right-wing firebrand Nigel Farage said that his party was "now the opposition to Labour" during a debate appearance on ITV Thursday evening.

Sunak has warned that "If this poll was replicated it would hand a blank cheque to Labour. Ultimately a vote for anyone who is not a Conservative candidate makes it more likely that Keir Starmer is in No.10."

On Monday, the Conservatives said, “If you’re thinking about voting for Reform, and a generation under Labour scares you, there’s only one way to prevent it: vote Conservative.”

Discussions have taken place about Johnson appearing on the campaign trail. Isaac Levido, the Tory campaign manager, values Johnson’s communication skills. Levido and Johnson have been in regular contact about how Johnson could help, The Telegraph reported.

It is unclear how much Johnson is willing to support Sunak, whom many of his allies still blame for his ousting from Downing Street. Sunak’s resignation as chancellor in July 2022 led to Johnson’s resignation 36 hours later.

Johnson has limited his campaign role to video endorsements for individual MPs and pro-Tory columns in the Daily Mail, often omitting Sunak.

A Johnson ally told The Telegraph that Johnson is still considering whether to campaign in person. When asked why the Tory campaign wanted to deploy him, the source said: “The simple answer is he gets cut through.”

With less than three weeks before the general election on July 4, the Tories trail Labour by around 20 points in the polls.

Three opinion polls released on Saturday painted a grim picture for the Conservative Party, with one pollster warning of potential "electoral extinction" in the upcoming July 4 election.

The market research company Savanta found 46 per cent support for the Labour Party, a 2-point increase from the previous poll five days earlier, while support for the Conservatives dropped 4 points to 21 per cent.

This poll, conducted from June 12 to June 14 for the Sunday Telegraph, showed Labour's 25-point lead—the largest since the tenure of Sunak's predecessor, Liz Truss.