Voters still furious with 'bickering' Tories over Partygate, Boris and Rwanda months on from election

Research found Brits' anger at the Tories has not gone away, even after their historic election drubbing - as what's left of the party faithful arrive in Birmingham for Tory Conference

Tory leadership hopefuls “have learned nothing” from their crushing defeat - as research finds voters are still furious with them months after the election.

It comes after Boris Johnson declared his only mistake during Partygate was apologising for Covid rulebreaking in No10 on his watch.

And the brutal verdict of 14 years of Tory rule is revealed as the four finalists in the race to replace loser Rishi Sunak prepare for a four-day ‘beauty parade’ at the party’s conference in Birmingham.

Focus groups held in September and August found Brits still harboured anger over Partygate, Mr Johnson's premiership and the deep divisions in the Conservative Party.

And those taking part slammed the party for losing control of the economy and immigration, branding the Rwanda plan “a joke” and “insane.”

“They didn’t consider how their actions would affect the nation - cost of living going up, COVID and Boris…unbelievable,” Sofi from Wakefield told researchers commissioned by the Labour Together think tank. Another 2019 Tory voter from the Leigh and Atherton constituency said: “They were all squabbling, falling out with each other, blaming each other, and still nothing was done with immigration!

“Sending them to Africa was just a joke, and that was millions of taxpayer money wasted - they had to go! I’ve been voting, but when you reflect on it, their policy is just ‘settling’ and there is no change - but our world is changing. They weren’t listening!”

And Alicia from Wakefield said: “So much bickering, they don’t even support each other really, can’t agree on things within themselves or within the party”

“All we get from the Tory leadership contenders is mere bleating that they were right and the voters wrong,” said Jonathan Ashworth, former Labour MP and Chief Executive of Labour together.

“They have learnt nothing from their defeat and the British public know it.”

The Conservative Party suffered their worst ever defeat at June’s General Election, handing Labour a 158-seat majority.

Labour Together’s report reflecting on the election suggested the right of the Tory voter base collapsed because of their failure to tackle immigration, and the left because they found them too extreme.

Overall, voters from all sides blamed the party for incompetence and corruption - and many are still disgusted with them over Partygate.

A voter in the Vale of Glamorgan said: “It was shocking, they were partying [...] having a good time and giving money out willy nilly to the wrong people.”

“[The Tories] seem to support the rich and let the rich get richer,” they added.

Lydia, from Wakefield said: “Working in a hospital, seeing some of the things that the Tory party were doing during that time, it was extremely unfair to people struggling during Lockdown”

Janet, also from Wakefield simply said the Tories were “out of touch with working class people. They don’t know what we need”

Tory wannabes haven’t learnt the lessons of their defeat

by JONATHAN ASHWORTH, Chief Executive of Labour Together

In July Labour won an historic landslide because we put in the hard yards to win back trust.

That meant taking the tough decisions to change the Labour Party. Away from shouting on the sidelines to one focused on the priorities of the people. It meant building credibility on economic policy and issues like security. It meant being in tune with the hopes and aspirations of working families striving to get on.

Because we changed, we won. That meant our victory in July wasn’t just a victory for our candidates but also a victory for our decent values. In stark contrast all we get from the Tory leadership contenders is mere bleating that they were right and the voters wrong.

Their condescending attitude reminds me of the old Broadway gag – ‘the show was great, but the audience lousy.’

Well, here’s a curtain raiser for these Tory wannabes as they prepare to preen on the Conference stage.

The team at Labour Together have been interviewing voters since July. Our findings make grim reading for the Conservatives.

“A lot of people have lost faith in the Conservatives due to all the lies and the deceit.” Stanley in Wakefield told us. “It was shocking, they were partying, having a good time” was the verdict of a voter in Wales.

“They didn’t consider how their actions would affect the nation - cost of living going up, COVID and Boris, unbelievable” summed up another ex Tory voter.

NHS workers we spoke to were rightly angry: “Working in a hospital, seeing some of the things that the Tory party were doing during that time, it was extremely unfair to people struggling during Lockdown”

Or simply as Janet devastatingly concluded the Tories are “out of touch with working class people, they don’t know what we need.”

But instead of apologising to these voters for the partying in Downing Street while those in grief were denied the chance to say a final goodbye at a funeral, the Tories carry on regardless as if it was nothing to do with them.

They arrogantly won’t even acknowledge they wrecked the economy, sent mortgages soaring and left a mess in the public finances which Labour now must clear up.

The simple truth is the Tories would make the same mistakes all over again leaving working people paying the price.

They have learnt nothing from their defeat and the British public know it.