The Tory leadership race officially starts next week when nominations close for the first stage of the contest. Until then, each campaign is doing their bit to show they are not falling behind. Today the Boris Johnson campaign have stepped up a gear with the release of their campaign video. It comes after a series of mixed videos from contenders so far. Dominic Raab was mocked for a decisive head turn, Sajid Javid for using his Parliamentary office and Jeremy Hunt for mispronouncing Culloden.
Boris Johnson’s has tread a different path. In his campaign video, the former Mayor of London is seen out of Westminster meeting with ordinary voters. The idea behind it was to show that there is grassroots support for Johnson. The implication is that he has support where it matters – even if not all MPs back him. The Johnson campaign is keen to portray him as the man who can win elections over anyone else.
Please check out my campaign launch video. Time to deliver Brexit and unite our fantastic country. I hope you will support me > @BackBoris #BackBoris pic.twitter.com/iRZ8b0flRK
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 3, 2019
So, will this pitch work? Johnson is currently seen as the one to beat in the race. This video has managed to avoid allegations of being cringeworthy like many of its rivals – it has broadly speaking received praise as the best of the bunch.
The challenge for Johnson is to show that he can win support from a cross section of voters. The bulk of Tory MPs accept that among Leave voters Johnson has support, what they need to be convinced of his appeal to those who veer towards Remain. Johnson’s critics argue that the days of him charming a mix of voters while being stuck on a zipwire (as in the London Olympics) are gone and he is now a polarising force who could lose them support. A carefully curated video won’t address that – but it’s something Johnson will need to show in the coming weeks if he is going to retain his status as the one to beat.
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