THE Tory party chairman has called for the tone of the political debate to be calmer as anger continues over the language of betrayal and surrender.

James Cleverly spoke to The Northern Echo in Barnard Castle, while on a whistle stop tour of the region, taking in some of its key marginal seats.

After meeting the Bishop Auckland candidate Dehenna Davison, he said: “The prime minster has been clear and as chairman I have been clear that we would like the tone of political debate to be calmer.

“But ultimately the thing that is going to be the prelude to that is delivering Brexit, because that has been such a big issue, which has generated a lot of tension.

“Once we can Brexit delivered, we can then start talking about those other issues which are much better at bringing people together.

“We will talk about local health provision, education, farming policing and the economy. These are the things people are wanting us to talk about and if we can focus on those things I think the tone of debate on all parts of the political sphere will calm down.”

Mr Cleverly insisted Boris Johnson would obey the law, despite the prime minister’s insistence the UK would leave Europe on October 31 “do or die”.

He said: “The prime minister has made clear that we will comply with the law.

“But he has also said that the British people gave us a very explicit instruction in that 2016 referendum and it is fundamental for the health of the democracy for the votes to be respected and for voters to be respected.

“All of us on both sides of the debate made a promise to the British people that we would be bound by their instruction.

“That is why the prime minister is saying he will deliver Brexit. He will comply with the law, but he will also focus on those other issues that people demand of us."

Mr Cleverly also visited Eaglescliffe School in the Stockton South constituency, where Matt Vickers will be a candidate, and the Tory party’s new campaign centre on Larchfield Street, in Darlington, where Peter Gibson is standing.

Asked whether the Brexit Party, which has fielded candidates in two of the constituencies, would dilute the Tory vote, Mr Cleverly said: “I’m here to promote the fantastic Conservative candidates that we have got and future Conservative MPs. Actually, Brexit is an incredibly important issue, but it’s not the only issue. And to be a credible party of Government you need to have plans for everything, not just for the delivery of Brexit.”