Boris Johnson too toxic for Tory ad campaign

The Conservative Party have belatedly launched their first batch of Meta adverts for the local elections taking place on 5th May and they’re notable because of the absence of their leader.

If you take a look at the Conservatives 2019 general election campaign, Boris Johnson used to dominate their advertising.

But in this latest battery of adverts neither Boris Johnson’s name or image features once.

Yes, this is a local election, so there’s an argument for not featuring the national leadership so prominently.

But then the adverts feature Keir Starmer, Labour’s leader, and Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, so that excuse doesn’t stand.

It has been a very difficult 6 months for the Conservative leader and these adverts are a tacit admission from the party as to just how much of a hit the onslaught has had on his standing with the electorate.