Boris Johnson's girlfriend Carrie Symonds makes surprise trip to Portsmouth to drum up Tory support

BORIS Johnson’s girlfriend, Carrie Symonds, joined forces with Tory heavyweights in a bid to turn the city ‘blue’.
Pictured left to right are Donna Jones, Carrie Symonds, Penny Mordaunt and Caroline Dinenage during Ms Symonds visit to Southsea. Photo: Twitter.Pictured left to right are Donna Jones, Carrie Symonds, Penny Mordaunt and Caroline Dinenage during Ms Symonds visit to Southsea. Photo: Twitter.
Pictured left to right are Donna Jones, Carrie Symonds, Penny Mordaunt and Caroline Dinenage during Ms Symonds visit to Southsea. Photo: Twitter.

Ms Symonds took to the streets of Southsea in an effort to rally residents behind the Conservatives – a bid which bemused ‘underwhelmed’ business owners.

The 31-year-old hit the campaign trail with Conservative candidate for Portsmouth South, Donna Jones, and former Tory MPs Penny Mordaunt and Caroline Dinenage – who are both fighting for re-election in Portsmouth North and Gosport, respectively.

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Accompanied by her rescue dog, Dilyn, Ms Symonds went on a charm offensive in Palmerston taking questions from shoppers, before visiting independent shops in nearby Marmion Road.

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Speaking on Twitter, Ms Symonds said it was ‘so nice’ to be out campaigning in Portsmouth South – which was last held by former Labour MP Stephen Morgan, who is up for re-election.

She said: ‘This is another seat where the result looks set to be [very] close, so if you can volunteer over the next eight days please do get down here. Let’s turn it blue.’

The ex-Tory spin doctor’s unannounced visit was kept a closely-guarded secret by the city’s Tory faithful and left locals perplexed.

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Steve White, who runs Ron White greengrocers in Marmion Road, was among those accosted by the campaigning Tories.

He was ‘used’ to having ‘big names’ and celebrities occasionally shopping in his store and added: ‘I was relatively underwhelmed by it all. I didn’t get excited or anything.

‘They came in and said that they were visiting the independent shops in the area. They spent five minutes in here and left.’

The team later visited Southsea seafront, where environmentalist Ms Symonds was told about plans to enhance the area’s sea defences.

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Her visit follows in the footsteps of her partner, Mr Johnson, who stopped by Portsmouth in June as part of his campaign to become PM.

Ms Symonds and Mr Johnson are rumoured to have been dating for more than a year.

However, the pair’s romance was confirmed beyond doubt when she appeared in public with him for the first time to support his leadership campaign during the summer.

She now lives in Downing Street with the prime minister.

Portsmouth South is being contested by Liberal Democrat Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Labour’s Stephen Morgan, Conservative Donna Jones, Brexit Party nominee John Kennedy and Steven George of the Justice and Anti-corruption Party.

The election is on December 12.

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