Wes Streeting is perhaps the Labour Party frontbench’s least competent politicians when it comes to off-the-cuff speaking. That is, of course, saying something from a frontbench that a knot of toads could out-articulate. However, at the Labour conference on Monday 23 September Streeting once again showed himself up for the fool he is – while also showing what a snivelling little toad he is as well when it comes to his corporate paymasters.
Streeting: bad jokes and even badder politics
Streeting was being grilled about the ongoing Labour donors scandal. Well, we say being grilled. It was the BBC – so more a friendly chat. Streeting told BBC Newsnight:
I’m really proud of people who want to contribute…their money to our politics. It is a noble pursuit, just like giving to charity.
Streeting went onto say that if rich people and businesses DIDN’T give money to politicians, then the taxpayer would have to foot the bills.
After Nick Watt asked him if going to see Taylor Swift was a “noble cause”, insufferable ‘twunk on a ship‘ Streeting dropped the worst Swiftie gag ever:
I’m sure Keir will ‘shake it off’
For fucks sake.
He then made a back-handed jibe at the BBC, saying:
I’m absolutely delighted in the BBC’s new-found conviction that no one should be paid more than the prime minister, that they shouldn’t give or receive hospitality, and will judge the performance on the social media mentions.
Of course, all this is from the guy who got Arsenal tickets from a private healthcare tech company:
Gone down a wormhole searching the register of interests – Wes Streeting, who today described donations as a noble pursuit, received Arsenal tickets from DXC Technology, which has subsidiaries working in medical insurance record management and medical IT https://t.co/13rnQ3h4W4 pic.twitter.com/tRAZqzJxBD
— Fisted Away (@fistedaway) September 23, 2024
Oh, and the same guy who spoke about Boris Johnson’s “entitlement” in 2019:
Remind me again how some of the poorest in our society are treated if they fail to turn up at the Job Centre? @BorisJohnson won’t turn up for his job interview with the nation. Everything about Johnson and his Government reeks of hypocrisy and entitlement. pic.twitter.com/oTXOfw7JNb
— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) December 6, 2019
But poor Wes! He only now feels financially secure for the first time in his life (thanks to his private donors). But God forbid if you nan wants to feel financially secure:
"It wasn't until I became an MP that I felt financial security for the first time in my life"@wesstreeting MP tells @krishgm about growing up in poverty and how this experience from his life now informs his work in politics, in this week's Ways to Change the World podcast. pic.twitter.com/r8dO46vo0q
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) July 7, 2023
All this was Streeting encapsulated. Vacuous, insipid, but when the chips are down so verbally flatulent that literally any old shit will come out of his mouth in an attempt to a) make him self look commanding when he’s not, and b) cover up whatever sordid tale he’s being questioned on.
Who can forget Streeting’s greatest hit? His infamous ‘twunk on a ship moment’ on general election night?
Roll on the next general election
Streeting attempted to use a sailing analogy to represent the Labour Party’s laughable ‘landslide’ – y’know, the one where the party got less votes than Corbyn did in 2019 BUT IT’S STILL A LANDSLIDE.
Rule one of public speaking: don’t start an analogy that you can’t finish. Streeting’s desperate linguistic gymnastics were a sight to behold. So much so, the renowned X account Accidental Partridge thought them noteworthy enough to include in its feed:
#AccidentalPartridge pic.twitter.com/Dp7cyn6Ky7
— Accidental Partridge (@AccidentalP) July 5, 2024
Take away the semi-polished veneer of these Labour frontbenchers and throw them into a situation where their answers haven’t been pre-arranged, or the questions pre-prepared, and these inarticulate, shallow nincompoops literally fall apart – whether that be Streeting on election night, or Streeting defending dodgy donations.
When’s the next general election? Because it can’t come quicky enough.
Featured image via the Canary
