Harlow MP Robert Halfon on PM Boris Johnson: “If there is a vote for a change in leadership, I will now vote for that change.
News / Wed 6th Jul 2022 at 09:02am
HARLOW MP Robert Halfon has withdrawn his support for the prime minster Boris Johnson.
Mr Halfon said: “In my last Statement to Your Harlow on 26th May, 2022, I said that, “if governance does not improve, I will have reached the end of the road”.
I was previously against any leadership change because I thought it would mean many months of political wrangling, during Covid, a cost of living crisis and the war in Ukraine. I also felt residual loyalty to the Prime Minister for winning the 2019 election, beating Jeremy Corbyn, getting Brexit done and rolling out the world-beating vaccine programme.
However, after the events of the past few days and the resignation of Cabinet members, I feel that the public have been misled about the appointment of the former Deputy Chief Whip. The parties at Number 10 Downing Street were bad enough, but the appointment of this individual and the untruthful statements about what was known, is unacceptable to me.
I gave the Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt before. I saw the Prime Minister in January and urged him to return to being the Prime Minister that people voted for in 2019. This has not happened.
I can’t bring myself to do this again and refuse to do so.
I am naturally a loyal Conservative. I have constantly challenged the Government on policy – especially on education and the cost of living. I have voted against Government policy on a number of occasions. But I never have before come out against a party leader. Until now.
Not only has there been a real loss of integrity, but a failure of policy. By 2025, education spending will have increased by just 3% compared to a 40% increase for the NHS. The post Covid Catch-Up programme for children is not firing on all cylinders as it should and 1.7 million children are still absent from school.
Government is not working for most people, whether it is GP services or getting a Passport. Millions are still struggling with the cost of living. Much policy delivery is a mirage. There is little trust in the Prime Minister.
For this reason, if there is a vote for a change in leadership, I will now vote for that change.
LC
2022-07-06 09:29:37
I think like so many of his peers Mr Halfon is first and foremost a self serving politician and doing what he feels will get him re elected, the ship is sinking and there is now a scramble to survive. I imagine this constituency will again return another Tory MP at the next election, I would like it to be someone who actually cares about the town. One can only dream I will certainly not be voting Conservative
Seamus
2022-07-06 09:34:35
And like halfon if there is a vote for change of leadership in harlow I will be looking to do exactly that. Tories out
Lee
2022-07-06 09:40:40
First, why has he not resigned from his post in Education? Also why did he send this to Your Harlow and not the 1922 committee? Is he trying to protect himself?
James Griggs
2022-07-06 09:52:00
Wow! Just look at that photo, a trio of travesty for Harlow. Two of them so happy to be associated with Johnson, bet they’re not so chirpy this morning. Yet another catastrophic misjudgement from Mr ‘regret’ Halfon. It was only ever going to be a short matter of time before Johnson was toppled but, as ever, Halfon was backing the wrong side in favour of his own advantage rather than representing the people of Harlow. His feeble attempts to justify his failure to vote Johnson out a few weeks ago just won’t wash. He had his chance and he blew it. Time for Halfon and this miserable excuse for a government to go and allow a Labour Govt to restore dignity and integrity to our country.
A
2022-07-06 10:00:37
Should have sent his letter to Sir Graham Brady and the PM much earlier. Interesting how Mr Halfon only expresses no confidence when the Chancellor quit... Anyway, I wonder if Cllr Swords will continue his poundshop Boris Johnson act after this...
Dave Summerville
2022-07-06 11:51:09
Emailed Robert in the past that I felt Boris should go--he did reply but still supported Boris--to me Robert has lost all credibility and I felt he should have moved much earlier to condemn Boris--how can anyone of moral backbone support "Boris the character"--this once great country deserves an honest leader of good moral standard--not a liar and pathetic apologist who thinks we are all stupid and cannot see through him---maybe Tories should send us back to the past when the working classes were kept uneducated so the bosses and rich could get away with anything. Sadly I think now that Robert, himself, should resign due to such poor judgement, and support for his leader. Boris has made us a national and international laughing stock--and just wait until the Covid inquiry comes out where he will undoubtedly be seen to be responsible for the avoidable deaths of many, due to being slow to react and ill-prepared--perhaps his memory will fail him again--about what he did then.
JD
2022-07-06 18:02:30
In 2019, RH supported Boris for leadership. At that time it was well known that Boris would waste taxpayers money on vanity projects, he had made racist, misogynistic and homophobic remarks. RH was OK with this. It was well known that Boris had previously been sacked for lying. RH was OK with this. Since 2019, Boris has lied to the Queen and illegally prorogued parliament. RH was OK with this. Boris has lied about Brexit. RH was OK with this. Boris lied about the 40 new hospitals, RH is OK with this. Boris lied about the £350M a week going to the NHS. RH was OK with this. Boris decided to go into the first lock down too late and effectively killing 1000's. RH was OK with this. Boris lied about the parties, sorry, "work events". RH was OK with this, but started to feel something was wrong. Why did it take so long for RH to get the starting of an inkling that something was amiss? Aferall, RH was OK with all the waste, lies and racism that had spewed from the person he had supported before? Perhaps RH can confirm exactly what it was about Boris that he now knows that he didn't in 2019 that has made him change his mind? My guess would be the opinion polls and nothing to do with the latest sleaze scandal. https://www.thepoke.co.uk/2020/04/27/a-tory-mp-said-boris-johnson-was-the-lion-king-and-ended-up-mauled-favourite-takedowns/
Sodthisforalark
2022-07-06 19:00:04
Too little, too late.
David Forman
2022-07-06 20:58:43
Robert Halfon's political compass is to place his index finger in his mouth, then extract finger and thrust into the air. He waits for three seconds and calculates which way the wind is blowing.
Daniel Long
2022-07-07 08:01:56
In my opinion. All the Mps in the house of parliament should be kicked out, no matter what party they represent. They are all corrupt and are all career politicians and only in it for themselves and to line their own pockets and none of them are in for the number one priority, which the electorate/ the people of the UK.
Daniel Long
2022-07-07 08:03:24
In my opinion. All the Mps in the houses of parliament should be kicked out, no matter what party they represent. They are all corrupt and are all career politicians and only in it for themselves and to line their own pockets and none of them are in there for the number one priority, which is the electorate/ the people of the UK.
peter henegan
2022-07-07 08:59:50
Robert, you certainly know which way the wind is blowing-just a few weeks ago you couldn't trust Boris yet you still supported him. He hasn't changed yet now you don't support him. I don't think you have come out of this very well
James Leppard
2022-07-07 09:08:01
Boris Johnson is announcing his resignation. His personal defects and conduct are such that trust has been fatally compromised. This should not allow his achievements to be forgotten: He achieved a landslide victory which saved us from the awful prospect of a Corbynist dystopia. He delivered Brexit in the face of treacherous opposition from the Remain dominated Establishment and duplicitous Labour Party. He guided the nation through the pandemic, with our world beating vaccination breakthrough and roll-out, not forgetting that he himself contracted COVID. He led the Free World’s response to the brutal Russian aggression Ukraine. His successor will need to reinstate strong Tory principles of low tax, free enterprise, economic growth, strong borders to ensure that the country is not governed by a chaotic Labour/SNP coalition of incompetence that would be economically ruinous, leading to the break up of the UK and ushering in a woke agenda of gender politics. The choice could not be starker. At this critical time, both nationally and internationally, the country needs a robust Tory government; the prospect of a Labour/SNP disaster is too awful to contemplate.
Seamus
2022-07-07 10:25:24
James you say labour/SNP would be a disaster but a decade of tory government has the country on its knees. Food banks have been normalised and essential services such as sure start were cut. The cost of living has ment some people have decided to stop living. It's never been more embarrassing to be a tory and the youth of today will make sure its a long long time before they are ever voted in again. Scotland will get independence and ireland will become one again all because of this incompetent tory government.
Peter Henegan
2022-07-07 11:59:40
James, you say he delivered Brexit. I agree, but what has he delivered. Certainly nothing that benefits the population that I can see. Our free market economy no longer operates as such so we now have the highest taxation and inflation in years. Yes, our approach to Covid was a success , we were fortunate that drug companies were in a position to rapidly create vaccines, Boris did ensure they were created.
A
2022-07-07 13:43:00
Economic growth? What economic growth?
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16 Comments for Harlow MP Robert Halfon on PM Boris Johnson: “If there is a vote for a change in leadership, I will now vote for that change.: