Sunderland City Council leader hits back at Boris Johnson’s message to voters to “get him out”

The Prime Minister was in Cllr Miller’s Washington South ward to support local candidate Peter Noble ahead of Thursday’s (May 5) local elections.

Sunderland City Council has been under Labour control for almost half a century but with the party’s majority having eroded to just six councillors, Boris Johnson was trying to win Washington votes to make further Conservative inroads.

Speaking during the visit, the Prime Minister said: “What we’re campaigning for is better services for local people – keeping the costs of local government down, making sure we take your bins out, fill in potholes and all with lower Council Tax.

“That’s what Conservatives offer.

“Vote Conservative on Thursday. Washington is great, but we’re going to make it even greater.”

Responding to the Prime Minister, Cllr Miller said: “The Tory Party have been running this Miller out campaign. I think what the Prime Minister said is inappropriate. He was only in Washington for 20 minutes and I would think Boris Johnson doesn’t even know who I am.

"All the things the Conservatives are saying about filling in potholes and collecting the bins are things we are doing already and we already have lowest Council Tax in the North East.

"It’s all theoretical anyway, and so lets just see what residents decide when they vote on Thursday.”

SEE ALSO: Meet the candidates for Washington South for the Sunderland City Council election on May 5

Following Boris Johnson’s visit, Conservative candidate Peter Noble said: “It was great to have the Prime Minister’s endorsement today and to hear him tell residents to ‘get him [Miller] out’.

“People want change locally, which is why I’m standing on a platform to give Washington its own Town Council and to change the city's political leadership.”