Boris Johnson says Sun readers will elect next PM ahead of final showdown with Jeremy Hunt

BORIS Johnson today warns the Tories they must win over Sun readers if they have any chance of winning the next election as he prepares for tonight’s final leadership debate.

He will spend four hours hunkered down with only his closest advisers preparing for the crucial and final head-to-head showdown with Jeremy Hunt — hosted by The Sun.

But in contrast Mr Hunt will spend the day in Brussels attending an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss the West’s spiralling tensions with Iran.

In his own exclusive message to Sun readers on Sunday night, the Foreign Secretary said only he can be trusted to deliver Brexit and launched a blistering personal attack on Mr Johnson’s evasiveness and lack of detail.

He said: “More than anything, Sun readers deserve a Prime Minister who answers the difficult questions, and that’s what I intend to do this evening.”

Mr Hunt added: “When it comes to delivering Brexit and stopping Jeremy Corbyn, we need a Prime Minister who can be trusted.

“Fine rhetoric isn’t enough, we need a someone with a plan. Others promised more money for the NHS on the side of a bus, but I actually delivered it. I’ll do the same with Brexit.”

Monday’s 90-minute debate — chaired by The Sun’s Political Editor Tom Newton Dunn — starts at 8pm and is being streamed live on www.thesun.co.uk and aired on talkRADIO.

BOJO’S RALLYING CRY

Speaking on the eve of the final showdown before the winner is announced a week on Tuesday, Mr Johnson told The Sun: “Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party would be a disaster for Britain. Corbyn doesn’t understand what Sun readers instinctively know — you need a strong private sector to generate the taxes to pay for good public services.

“It is vital that as Tories we win over Sun readers and restore people’s trust in politics — that means we’ve got to deliver Brexit on October 31 and then focus on delivering a modern Conservative agenda that unites the country — investing in our schools and public services while cutting taxes for working people.

“Only then will the Conservative Party finally be able to consign Jeremy Corbyn to the dustbin of history. “

WHAT SUN READERS WANT

Mr Johnson’s rallying cry to win over Sun readers came as a new report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) concluded that lower income voters are “up for grabs like never before”.

This is because they are not only more likely to turnout at the next General Election but are also becoming more willing to switch parties between elections.

In a worrying finding the report also said low income voters feel no better off now than the 1992 and 2010 economic downturns — laying bare the need for the next PM to offer policies to boost their take-home pay.

JRF boss Claire Ainsley said: “Low-income voters now occupy an increasingly important position in General Elections. Not only are they turning out to vote in greater numbers, they are also the most likely group to switch party or change their view.

“The party which embraces this agenda and sets out credible solutions to solve these problems and loosen the grip of poverty may find the keys to No10 in their hands.”

Meanwhile a poll by Opinium found more than half — 53 per cent — of Tory voters want Boris Johnson to win the contest, compared to just 29 per cent for Mr Hunt.

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