Boris Johnson's visits to West Yorkshire so far as Prime Minister

Here is a look back to four visits to West Yorkshire and areas surrounding Bradford over the last two years.

On the campaign trail in Batley - June 2021 - Johnstone's Paints factory - June 28, 2021

Mr Johnson was in the area to campaign for Conservative Party candidate Ryan Stephenson in the Batley & Spen by-election, which was held on July 1 and won by Labour's Kim Leadbeater.

Speaking on a visit to PPG Architectural Coatings in Birstall, Boris Johnson said he found the reports of ugly scenes in Batley and Spen days before the by-election as tensions rise in the by-election race "utterly sickening and appalling".

On the visit, the Prime Minister defended the delay to Matt Hancock’s resignation as health secretary as being “about the right pace” during a pandemic.

Fox's Biscuits factory - June 21, 2021

Just seven days earlier, Mr Johnson urged people in Bradford to come forward for their Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible to ensure reopening could go ahead on July 19.

He was visiting Fox’s Biscuits factory on the Batley and Spen by-election campaign trail supporting Conservative candidate Ryan Stephenson.

Mr Johnson said: “I’m going to join Ryan Stephenson in thanking everyone who has been vaccinated so far.

“Fox’s Biscuits factory was a vaccination centre until very recently and they did an amazing job, but there is still a way to go and it is urgent.

“What I would say to everybody is come forward and get your jab. 18-year-olds can now get their first jab, it’s the way to protect not only you but your family and everybody else.”

Concerns about the need for the vaccine were also raised to Mr Johnson, who added: “This virus has killed tens of thousands of people in the UK and millions across the world, it is a lethal disease.

“I’m sure everyone would rather their elderly relatives vaccinated against it than capable of catching it, and so the reason for getting vaccinated is that we will literally save tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives."

Batley - February 2021

Mr Johnson thanked the people of Bradford for their role in finding an effective Covid-19 vaccine on a visit.

He visited the Al-Hikmah centre in Batley, and praised it for the work it was doing in ensuring there is high take-up of the vaccine among the local Indian Muslim community.

He was shown how the vaccine vials are prepared, watched a vaccination take place and spoke with people who had had their vaccinations.

Speaking at the event, Mr Johnson said: “I’m seeing a very impressive take-up rate among the Muslim community here, the Indian Muslim community, and that is fantastic to see and I thank them for the work that they’re doing to dispel some of the nonsense about vaccines.

He also praised Bradford’s role in trials for the Novavax vaccine, which has been found to be 89.3 per cent effective, and welcomed news of the Jacob’s Well mass vaccination centre opening today, describing it as "great news."

West Yorkshire Police headquarters - September 2020

Just weeks after becoming Prime Minister, Mr Johnson paid a visit to the county's police base.

Speaking at the police's headquarters in Wakefield, newly-recruited officers stood behind Johnson as he made a speech to the media.

In the speech he promised more money for the police, and repeated his pledge to recruit 20,000 police officers around the country, but the topic soon returned to Brexit.

He criticised again Parliaments move to block No Deal, and also said he would "rather be dead in a ditch" than ask the EU for an extension beyond October 31.

But the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police expressed his "disappointment" about new police recruits being used as a backdrop to a speech about Brexit.

Chief Constable John Robins said the purpose of Mr Johnson's visit to the Force's Carr Gate training school was to announce the launch of a national recruitment campaign for an extra 20,000 police officers, but the plan was changed at a moment's notice.