The Tories can be the ‘Vicks inhaler’ that unblocks ‘the nostrils of the Welsh dragon’ says Boris Johnson as he makes bizarre analogy about road tunnels linking Cardiff with England at the launch of the party’s manifesto for Wales
- PM made the bizarre analogy as he launched the Conservatives’ Welsh manifesto
- He outlined plans to boost access to the cities of Cardiff and Swansea via the M4
- Made speech to supporters at the Bangor-on-Dee racecourse near Wrexham
Boris Johnson described road tunnels linking south Wales with England to ‘the nostrils of the Welsh dragon’ today, pledging that the Tories would their ‘Vicks inhaler’ salvation.
The Prime Minister made the bizarre analogy as he launched the Conservatives’ Welsh manifesto on a visit to the principality.
But he outlined plans to boost access to the cities of Cardiff and Swansea via the M4 motorway in south Wales at the audience at a racecourse near Wrexham in north Wales.
‘Where Welsh Labour has failed with the M4 bypass … the Brynglas tunnels… I’m told the Brynglas tunnels are currently like the nostrils of the Welsh dragon, currently blocked,’ he said.
‘We are going to apply the Vicks inhaler to the Brynglas tunnels. We are going to get it done.’
The Prime Minister made the bizarre analogy as he launched the Conservatives’ Welsh manifesto on a visit to the principality
He outlined plans to boost access to the cities of Cardiff and Swansea via the M4 motorway in south Wales at the audience at a racecourse near Wrexham in north Wales
The 404-yard tunnels under Brynglas Hill near Newport take the M4 from the English border on to urban centres in south Wales.
But the 1960s engineering feat only allowed for two lanes in either direction and they are now a major bottleneck on traffic.
Plans to widen the tunnels or bore another have not got past the ideas stage.
Mr Johnson visited two constituencies today which the Tories hope to win at the election.
He appeared before supporters at the Bangor-on-Dee racecourse to launch the party’s Welsh manifesto.
It was a return for the Prime Minister to the Clwyd South constituency, where he stood for election in 1997.
He said: ‘It’s fantastic to be here in Clwyd South. A fulfilment of a lifetime’s mission. I started this project 22 years ago, I hope very much to get a Conservative MP returned for Clwyd South.’
Earlier he trimmed a sheep and served beef and lamb baps as he got stuck into country life at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair.
The PM took a pair of scissors to the North Country Cheviot as he toured the agricultural show in the marginal Brecon and Radnorshire constituency
Mr Johnson toured the fair with the Conservative candidate Fay Jones, and served several beef and lamb baps at a food stall – donning an apron as he asked customers: ‘Can I interest you in a lamb bap?’
A load of bull: Mr Johnson at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Llanelwedd today
The Prime Minister took a pair of scissors to the North Country Cheviot as he toured the agricultural show in the marginal Brecon and Radnorshire constituency.
The seat was won by the Liberal Democrats’ Jane Dodds earlier this year at a by-election triggered by a recall petition after Tory Chris Davies was convicted of faking expenses claims.
Mr Johnson toured the fair with the Conservative candidate Fay Jones, and served several beef and lamb baps at a food stall – donning an apron as he asked customers: ‘Can I interest you in a lamb bap?’