PRIME Minister Boris Johnson came to North Wales, had an ice-cream and tried to give his party’s Senedd candidate a sprinkle of stardust – in a social but not very distanced campaign trail visit.
At the centre of a political storm and bombarded with allegations of sleaze, he had earlier dismissed suggestions that his conduct could harm the Welsh Conservatives chances of making gains in May.
At a factory in Wrexham earlier on Monday, he also addressed claims, made in a national newspaper, that he said he would rather “bodies pile high in their thousands” than implement a third coronavirus lockdown.
“Total, total rubbish,” he said.
Next stop Llandudno where he had an ice cream, posed for selfies and chatted with locals in a way only he could. Up close, full of personality but with barely any social distancing.
Love Mr Johnson or loathe him, he has a magnetising effect on a crowd, one which swelled to between 250-300 at its peak, as he ambled along the prom.
Dishevelled, with his trademark mop of blonde, thinning hair and wonky smile – people couldn’t get enough.
“I got it”, whooped one young woman after getting a picture with him. Another, who was old enough to know better, reacted in the same way, while the men shared a blokey laugh with him.
The assumption that “he’s one of us, a man of the people”, was strong. – despite the growing sense of crisis surrounding his leadership.
For once he appeared almost on message, trotting out pre-rehearsed slogans: “We’re doing everything to win” and asking “Will you be voting for Janet (Aberconwy Conservative candidate Janet Finch-Saunders)”.
He was less interested in policy and more focused on his personal appearance.His value in this regard is not lost on the party faithful – and anyway policy is for wonks – although he did remember to get out the “we’re building back better” slogan enough times to show he attended at least one media briefing.
It’s difficult to know what it is, but he does have a populist charm which makes people want to see him and be near him and be associated with him.
It’s been underestimated enough times by opponents to get him to Downing Street and, watching him work the streets at close quarters, it’s undeniable he has a presence many other leaders would kill for.
But his seeming lack of regard for social distancing came on a day when any other politicians would be ultra careful of the optics of people clamouring shoulder to shoulder, breaking all Covid-sensible norms.
He simply didn’t care and seemed more concerned about how fast one smitten admirer’s mobility scooter went – looking disappointed when the elderly gentleman said “five or six miles an hour”.
He raised a laugh when a photographer suggested a seagull going for his ice-cream would make a good image – “take this for me”, he quickly said to an aide.
It was a fitting metaphor for a man who has led a charmed life and dodged more bullets than John Wayne.
In the bright sunshine of Llandudno he did his job, entertained his fans and left them with a story to tell.
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