CHANCELLOR Sajid Javid has admitted the Tories are in a ‘tight race’ to retain the city in December’s General Election.
Speaking on a visit to Worcester Bosch, the MP for Bromsgrove said he believed Robin Walker’s 2,490 vote majority would mean a close contest on December 12.
Despite adding almost three per cent to his share of the vote in the 2017 General Election, Mr Walker saw his majority nearly halved.
Historically, the party which wins in the city goes on to form the Government and Mr Javid told the Observer he hoped residents would get out and vote.
The campaign has already seen Mr Javid, Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan and Transport Minister Nus Ghani visit the city while business minister Kwasi Kwarteng was in Worcester this week.
“This is going to be a tough election, we’ve said that from the start. We didn’t want to have the election but Parliament is absolutely paralyzed I think the whole country can see that,” he said.
“We need to move on as a country, not just on Brexit because there is so much more to do and we have huge ambitions for the Worcestershire and the country as a whole.
“In Worcester it will be a tight race and that’s why we have to make sure people get out and vote if they want to see this country move forward and support Robin in his bid to stay the MP for the city,” the Chancellor added.
The former Business Secretary praised Worcester Bosch for going from ‘strength to strength’ and the company’s investment in new technology.
“One of the big things in this campaign in combating climate change, we’re committed to net zero (carbon emissions) and one of the ways we will do that is heating our homes more efficiently and clearly Worcester Bosch is leading the way.
The Chancellor dismissed suggestions from the former Permanent Secretary at the Treasury Nick Macpherson who slammed both main parties spending plans as ‘fiscally incontinent’.
“With the Conservatives we are saying we can afford to invest more in our infrastructure but we can only do so in a controlled way,” Mr Javid said.
“With Labour its completely uncontrolled, what we have seen throughout history is every Labour government spends too much, borrows too much and takes on too much debt.
Mr Javid said the message on the campaign trail from business was to end the uncertainty on Brexit and claimed his party was the only choice for Britain to leave the European Union.
“What I have heard from all businesses is they want a smooth exit from the European Union, they want it done with a deal and there is only one party that can show it will leave with a deal on or before January 31,” he said.
