Rishi Sunak has taken questions from two men dressed in hi-vis clothing at a warehouse in Derbyshire who turned out to be Conservative councillors. The prime minister was visiting a biscuit distribution centre in the marginal constituency of Erewash, where he gave a stump speech to people who appeared to be employees of the business. He took unchallenging questions from two men who were later found to be Conservative politicians, one of them from a different county. Ben Hall-Evans and Ross Hills were first identified by Byline Times, with Hills confirming to the outlet that he had been present. The incident raised questions about whether the men were “plants” to ask Sunak questions on his preferred topics, and whether the Conservatives will pursue a controlling approach to the election campaign. Later, Sunak appeared in Barry, south Wales, where he asked people in a brewery if “all the football” of the Euros would be good for revenue. It was quickly pointed out to him that Wales had not qualified for the tournament.
The gaffes occurred on Sunak’s first full day on the campaign trail, after he appeared on Wednesday night at a campaign rally at the ExCel centre in east London with his cabinet and candidates. That event was overshadowed by security escorting a Sky News journalist, Darren McCaffrey, out of the building while live on air because he did not have permission from the party to film. At the Derbyshire event, Sunak appeared to pick a questioner at random, first alighting on Hall-Evans, who asked what set the prime minister apart in terms of improving people’s finances. The third questioner, Hills, a Leicestershire councillor and part-time dentist, thanked the prime minister for attending when he was a “pretty busy man” and asked whether the Rwanda plan would “stop the boats”. Neither of the men mentioned in their question that they were Conservative councillors. The questions allowed Sunak to talk about his priority issues of the economy and immigration, telling the audience that he had improved inflation and had a plan to deport people who arrived in the UK illegally to Rwanda. Sunak’s event was at the William West & Sons distribution centre, where a circle of what initially appeared to be workers and managers were on the warehouse floor. Conservative leaders have long used the tactic of holding campaign events at workplaces, where those present are there under instruction from their bosses. This event did not appear to have been advertised publicly. The Conservatives were approached for comment on whether the councillors were planted in the audience and whether they had been given questions. A Conservative source: “We do not control who asks questions – anyone can try and ask one.”