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Coffee House Shots

Was booting Boris a mistake?

Coffee House Shots

The Spectator

Politics, Daily News, News

4.42.2K Ratings

🗓️ 7 July 2023

⏱️ 15 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It is one year since Boris Johnson announced his resignation as prime minister. That day, Labour held an 11 point lead in the polls but new YouGov polling today indicates that gap has widened to 25 points. Is there any hope the Tories can turn it around? What if Boris had stayed?

James Heale speaks to Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson. 

Produced by Natasha Feroze and Oscar Edmondson. 

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Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:05.5

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0:11.6

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0:20.4

forward slash voucher.

0:25.2

Hello and welcome to Coffee House Shots. I'm James Hill and I'm joined today by

0:29.2

Fraser Nelson and Katie Balls. Now it is a year ago today since Boris Johnson

0:34.4

announces recognition as Prime Minister. On that day, 6th, 7th July, 2022, the polls from Ugoff

0:40.4

showed that the Conservatives were on 29 points, Labour on 40 points, 11 point lead.

0:44.8

Today, the Conservatives were on 22 points and Labour on 47 points, a 25 point lead.

0:49.9

Katie, talk us through this. Why has it all happened?

0:53.2

Well, let me tell you a story. I mean, we all know what's happened.

0:58.0

I think it actually feels a bit strange. It was only a year ago. Because in that time,

1:02.3

we haven't just had a Rishi Sienaak. We had a Liz Trust. You've had the mini-budget and,

1:06.4

therefore, I think it's obviously, as you would expect, that lots of people to mark the day

1:12.0

depending on who they're backing. Some are coming out saying, see the situation in Boris Johnson

1:17.0

really wasn't very bad. This is a mad mistake where Rishi Sienaak is not up to it.

1:20.8

I think it would be fairer to point out that what happened between Boris Johnson going and

1:24.7

Rishi Sienaak taking over was lots more political turmoil, partly in the mini-budget.

1:29.8

But it is fair to say that, I think, if you think back to those mass resignations to

1:34.4

House Boris Johnson, back then, there was definitely a sense of hope amongst 3 MPs that actually,

1:40.1

they could just do a quick course correction and they would fix things at the next election.

1:44.9

In the sense of a new leader, they thought Boris Johnson was too scandal-ridden,

...

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