Boris Johnson was slammed today for not knowing where he was on a visit to the North East.
The Prime Minister mixed up Tyneside and Teesside in a hastily-deleted message to voters.
Tweeting a photo of himself in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, he said: “It was a fantastic day to be out campaigning in Teesside.
“We’re delivering a massive programme of investment as part of our plan to level up the whole of the UK.”
His words sparked a wave of condemnation from local people, insulted civic chiefs and MPs. Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “It’s all just ‘the North’ to him.” Prof Dan Hicks added: “You can delete your tweet but Whitley Bay is still on Tyneside not Teesside.”
Martin Angus wrote: “Clueless idiot isn’t even aware of where he was campaigning. Tyneside isn’t Teesside.” Twitter user ‘The Geordie Ape’ replied: “You do know that Whitley Bay (where you are pictured) is not Teesside, right? It’s North Tyneside.
“Please never ever darken this part of the UK again.” Johnson was spotted going into the ‘Whitley Whaler’ where he ordered a “small chips”. Then he went for a stroll and an ice cream on the promenade and was spotted chatting to walkers outside local landmark the Spanish City.
The fish and chip shop posted an image of their visitor with the message: “It’s not every day Boris pops in for Whitley Whaler chips!”
Kerry Anne Richardson wrote underneath: “I would have refused to serve him.” David Kirby added: “We won’t be buying Whitley Whaler chips now.”
Johnson had been on Teesside earlier in the Bank Holiday Monday tour, visiting Hartlepool power station with the town’s Tory MP Jill Mortimer. After his claim on investment, Kate Osborne, MP for Jarrow,
hit back: “Boris Johnson knows so much about the North East that he thinks he’s in Teesside when he’s in Whitley Bay.
“There’s a clue in the signage behind you Boris.” North of Tyne Mayor, Jamie Driscoll posted: “Hardly surprising that Boris Johnson tweeted he was in Teesside when he was in Whitley Bay - he has no moral compass. #WhitleyBayNotTeesside.”
Alan Campbell, MP for Tynemouth, said: “He doesn’t care where he is. He doesn’t really care about who he meets or what they care about.
“Vote Labour on Thursday.”
