He really is Greg HANDS! Tory chair is caught with notes scrawled on his palm as he tours TV studios amid local election battle
- Tory chair Greg Hands had taken his own crib sheet into a BBC interview today
Tory chair Greg Hands lived up to his name today as he accidentally showed off notes scrawled on his palm in an interview.
Writing was clearly visible as the Cabinet minister gestured during an appearance on the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday programme.
The lines looked badly smudged, perhaps due to Mr Hands sweating under the studio lights.
But fortunately he seemed to get through the discussion without having to refer to them.
Writing was clearly visible as the Cabinet minister gestured during an appearance on the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday programme
The lines appeared to be badly smudged – but fortunately Mr Hands seemed to get through the discussion without having to refer to them
In a grim warning, Mr Hands said that scale of disaster on May 4 was being anticipated by the ‘most credible’ experts.
However, he stressed that candidates are ‘fighting really hard’ despite dire national poll ratings, vowing to push resources into the Red Wall.
The main parties are already engaged in frantic expectation management as the ballot looms – with the results a key indicator ahead of the general election next year.
More than 8,000 council seats are up for grabs on May 4 across 230 local authorities, ranging from small rural councils to some of the largest towns and cities – though no elections are scheduled in London or Birmingham.
The last time they were contested the Tories performed relatively strongly against Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour, meaning they have more to defend.
Mr Hands told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: ‘The independent expectations are that the Conservatives will lose more than 1,000 seats and that Labour need to make big gains.’
Asked by stand-in host Trevor Phillips whether he might be moved on from his job if the results are dire, Mr Hands said: ‘Well let’s see Trevor, but what I would say is that those are the independent predictions from the most credible academic sources, that the Conservatives are likely to lose 1,000 seats.
‘I’m campaigning really hard, we’ve got some brilliant councillors, great candidates out there.’
Challenged that he was trying to manage expectations, Mr Hands said: ‘I’d say we are fighting really hard.’
An Opinium survey overnight had little solace for Mr Sunak as it had Keir Starmer’s party extending its advantage back to 14 points, having been trimmed to 11 points in equivalent research a week earlier
Rishi Sunak could be spared an extended postmortem if the predicted meltdown does materialise, as the King’s coronation is immediately afterwards.
National polls have shown Labour consistently in a double-digit lead, although there has been evidence of a narrowing of the gap in recent weeks.
An Opinium survey overnight had little solace for Mr Sunak as it had Keir Starmer’s party extending its advantage back to 14 points, having been trimmed to 11 points in equivalent research a week earlier.
No elections are taking place in Scotland or Wales this year.
Local elections in Northern Ireland have been put back two weeks to May 18 to avoid a clash with the King’s coronation on May 6.
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