A Tory candidate has told voters he is “so very sorry” for his party’s performance since 2019.
Neil Mahaptra, who is standing for the Conservatives in Tunbridge Wells, hit out at the party’s “poor policies” and “infighting” and even took a swipe at Rishi Sunak for announcing the general election in the rain.
He made his disappointment with his own party clear in an unusually candid general election address to local voters.
Mahaptra said: “Since 2019, the Conservative Party has disappointed: some poor policies, worse implementation, infighting. Announcements in the rain.
“We have let you down - I am so very sorry. But that’s NOT ME. I am a compassionate Conservative for the future.”
Tunbridge Wells has always been a Tory seat and the party currently holds it with a majority of nearly 15,000.
Mahapatra’s selection as the party’s election candidate came after the withdrawal of broadcaster Iain Dale from the race.
He quit his long-running LBC radio show to throw his hat into the ring, but was forced to pull out just three days later after it emerged he had previously said he has “never liked” Tunbridge Wells.