A Tory peer and ally of Boris Johnson has suggested people in Yorkshire are “begging for handouts”.
Lord Moylan, who was an adviser to the prime minister during his time as London mayor, made the comment in a Tweet late on Friday night.
“I’m going to Yorkshire for a short break next week. Everything I’ve read recently in @yorkshirepost makes me fear I’m going to find it transformed into a county of leftist whingers begging for handouts.
“Let’s hope that’s not the case.”
James Mitchinson, the editor of the Yorkshire Post, said: “You’ll find folks thoroughly fed up with sneering politicians who think they’re better than us and an awful lot of people who cannot stand liars and charlatans.
“It isn’t about right and left for us, m’Lord. It’s about right and wrong. Enjoy your stay. You are most welcome.”
It comes as Johnson is set to leave Westminster this week insisting he is “getting on with the job” while touting his staffing changes as helping to focus on his “levelling up” policy as he fights to stay in office.
No.10 said he is to start the week with a visit to a manufacturing site in Scotland before heading to an oncology centre tackling coronavirus backlogs in the north west of England.
The trip comes in the seven days Johnson has to avoid a fine by answering a legal questionnaire from Scotland Yard officers investigating whether he broke his own Covid laws.