In a few days Boris Johnson will almost certainly become Prime Minister.

Very few Watford residents had a say in it unless you are that rarest and rather unrepresentative thing - a Conservative Party member.

I've looked on in horror as Tory Party leadership election has unfolded.

A bizarre Boris bonanza of an unfunded spending splurge, a bombastic Brexit promise and innate inability to answer questions without blustering, have turned the contest into a sick joke. And what of the failed ex-Foreign Secretary's much-heralded time as Mayor of London?

Proper scrutiny of his time at City Hall has resulted in yet more evidence of how Boris has let Watford down. In a dramatic new development last week, Transport for London's (TfL) Director of Investment and Planning revealed that bumptious Boris blithely over-rode warnings by over-promising the Metropolitan Line extension to Watford without first securing the necessary funding.

Watford and Three Rivers residents were let down by an opportunist politician who rode on the wave of unity when it suited him (the London Olympics in 2012) but cynically whipped up division and acrimony to further his own personal ambition (the Referendum in 2016).

As Theresa May departs, one can't help but admire her effort in adversity, despite the horrendous errors she made.

The England men's cricket team she hosted at Downing Street showed true British grit through resilience, hard work, team work and attention to detail. Our multi-cultural cricket team, triumphing in adversity, demonstrates just who we can be as a nation, and will provide some much needed inspiration to look back on as the 'look at me’ Boris-show begins. We'll need to.

  • Chris Ostrowski is Labour parliamentary candidate for Watford