Labor could win an 'abnormal majority' bigger than Blair and Thatcher combined

Boris Johnson has warned that Britain will face a Labor majority bigger than that of Sir Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher combined unless the Conservatives vote in the election.

The former prime minister also claimed that Sir Keir Starmer securing a large majority would be dangerous and lead to the most undeserved electoral triumph in history.

His remarks in his Daily Mail column come as he steps into the general election campaign for the first time by beginning to produce videos in support of Conservatives running for re-election.

There has been some criticism that Mr Johnson appeared to have chosen to back former MPs who were most loyal to him.

But a source close to him told the Telegraph: Every Tory MP who has asked him for a digital endorsement will get one.

Unusual messages from the Conservatives

In recent days there appears to have been a change in electoral strategy from the Conservatives, and they are now pushing the message that Labor could get a large majority, which would be bad for democracy.

Rishi Sunak has already warned voters not to hand Labor a blank check on polling day in the event of a landslide victory.

The new conservative message is unusual in that it is rare for a political party to promote the idea that it could lose heavily in the election during its campaign.

In his column, Mr Johnson said: According to current forecasts, Labor will have 461 MPs, the Conservatives will have 80 and the overall majority for Keir Starmer will be 292.

Yes, it won't just be a larger majority than Blair or Thatcher. The next Labor majority, if these polls are correct, will be about as large as Blair and Thatcher's combined majority.

He added: The new Prime Minister will show humility and claim that he is now the servant of the people, and so on.

But beneath this veneer of restraint lies a seething and intoxicating delirium of power.

Mr Johnson concluded by warning that a Starmer majority would be bad enough; an abnormal majority would be dangerous, as he urged people to vote Conservative on polling day to prevent this from happening.

He did not mention the prime minister's name once in the 1,200-word article, nor in any of his videos supporting conservative candidates so far.

Johnson's first direct intervention

Johnson's allies still blame Mr Sunak's resignation as chancellor for triggering a flood of ministerial resignations that ultimately led to his downfall.

Speculation over whether Mr Johnson would hit the campaign trail to support the Conservatives is rife.

The supporting videos that began appearing on candidates' social media accounts mark his first direct intervention, three weeks into the campaign.

Sir Simon Clarke, the former levelling-up secretary, who called for Rishi Sunak's departure in January, was the first former MP to be publicly backed by the former prime minister.

But it appears that about two dozen deputies received videos similar to the one he posted.

Any MP who sought Mr Johnson's endorsement received one, either via a social media video or a written quote.

The strategy was discussed with Conservative campaign HQ and reportedly approved by Isaac Levido, the campaign manager.

Sir Simon was not chosen as the first candidate to be endorsed by Mr Johnson, it was simply that he released his video first, the source close to Mr Johnson said.

Others who have posted videos of the former Prime Minister supporting their candidacy include Nick Fletcher in Don Valley, Jane Stevenson in Wolverhampton and Paul Bristow in Peterborough.

In the video tweeted by Sir Simon, Mr Johnson urges voters in his Teesside constituency to support a candidate who has played a crucial role in the whole leveling up agenda.

The first mentions are published

Sir Simon said: “I am delighted to have the support of [Mr Johnson] the man who rebuffed Keir Starmer's attempt to overturn Brexit and install Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister twice.

In the case of Tom Hunt, running for re-election in Ipswich, Mr Johnson said: “I can't tell you how many wonderful conversations I've had with Tom about his great constituency and what he wants do to protect it from illegal immigration and crime. all of which I fear will go in the wrong direction if we get Keir Starmer and the Labor Party.

The former Prime Minister said of Ms Stevenson: I met her years ago and she is so passionate about Wolverhampton that I called her Lady Wulfruna.

She believes in low taxes, fighting crime, not panicking, fighting illegal immigration and, above all, not giving this country back to the socialists who are leading it in precisely the wrong direction.

Mr Fletcher, who Mr Johnson said voters should choose whether to keep Doncaster Airport open, said on X of his support video: BORIS IS ON BOARD!