When Keir Starmer first became Labour Party leader, we were told over and over by fawning columnists that he would bring a ‘forensic’ approach to the job. Since becoming PM, of course, Starmer has shown he has the political intelligence of Mr Bean – not an ideal situation, as he also has the charisma and common sense of Mr Bean. To the delight of Starmer’s many detractors, MP Diane Abbott spoke out about his many failings on the 1 December edition of Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (hosted this week by Victoria Derbyshire):
Diane Abbott is spot on here – as PM Keir Starmer has repeatedly shown poor political judgement. Remember when we were told time & time again that he was forensic? #bbclaurak pic.twitter.com/6cEoxeOsJ7
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) December 1, 2024
Diane Abbott: Keith Forensic
In the clip above, Diane Abbott says:
There’s been issues where I think Keir Starmer has shown poor judgement. He didn’t seem to understand that a man on a £150,000 a year – as leader of the opposition – it would look bad if he was getting a millionaire to pay for his glasses and his suits.
This ended up being obvious to everyone besides the Labour front bench, who defended Starmer on the grounds that he doesn’t receive a ‘clothes budget’:
Listening to @DavidLammy defend @Keir_Starmer by saying in fairness there is no budget for a PM clothes.
Yes David, it's called a salary. His 160k per year salary.
For goodness sake. The entitlement is sickening.
— Harry Eccles (@Heccles94) September 15, 2024
Would you believe that many freaks in the media also agreed that politicians deserve an extra allowance?
The #trevorphillips panel are asked, does Starmer accepting 'gifts' matter?
The panel is in agreement, the PM should get a clothes allowance. Presumably because he can't afford to buy his own clothes on £13,898/month? pic.twitter.com/zwVXtjTZBu
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) September 15, 2024
We don’t need to tell you this because you already know, but buying your own clothes is a very normal thing to do. We also don’t need to tell you that if a millionaire offered to buy you clothing that would be a very un-normal thing to happen, and that you’d immediately realise this person wanted something unsavoury in return.
Diane Abbott connected Starmer’s sugar daddy scandal to Labour cancelling the Winter Fuel Allowance, saying:
Maybe if he’d done more door knocking for the Labour Party, then he’d understand of all the people to take money off, not pensioners. Pensioners don’t forgive and forget. And they’re one of the blocks of voters who actually do vote. He didn’t seem to get it – that that will be a problem. And people are still coming up to my colleagues in other parts of the country on the street to complain about what he did about Winter Fuel.
It’s a good point.
Like Abbott, we’re in favour of universal benefits and disagree with removing the Winter Fuel Allowance on principle. Beyond that, even the most cynical political operator should have understood that Labour was starting the long race to re-election by shooting itself in the foot.
Making Haigh
On 29 November, transport secretary Louise Haigh resigned after it came out that she’d plead guilty to fraud in 2014. Al Jazeera summarised her run in with the law as follows:
Haigh’s friends say that in 2013, after a “terrifying” mugging, she could not find her work phone in her bag and reported it as stolen to police. Haigh’s employer, Aviva, a private insurance company, provided her with a new mobile.
Haigh later discovered the missing phone in a drawer and switched it on to check messages, her friends say. However, she failed to notify authorities that she found the phone. When the mobile’s signal was picked up by the phone company, they alerted the police, who then asked Haigh to come in and make a statement.
The exact timeline of these events is unclear, but Haigh pleaded guilty to fraud by misrepresentation in 2014. She received a discharge without any further action against her.
Meanwhile, Aviva reportedly investigated at least one other missing phone, suspecting that Haigh was seeking newer models — a claim her allies deny. Haigh eventually resigned from Aviva, feeling the investigation was unfair.
The issue wasn’t so much what she did or didn’t do as what she did or didn’t declare.
The problem for Starmer is that Haigh claims she informed him before taking the position, and that she only didn’t inform the government’s propriety and ethics team because they asked about “unspent convictions”. Starmer has yet to confirm this version of events. Presumably he’s still contemplating to the most incompetent way to admit or deny it.
This is what Diane Abbott had to say, anyway:
He knew that she had this problem with her claim for her mobile phone. He knew it from the beginning. And now, to throw her under the bus like this; I don’t get it. She was one of our more effective cabinet ministers, and why do this to her? And again, he doesn’t seem to understand, it makes him look bad.
Diane Abbott makes the point that Keir Starmer knew about Louise Haighs conviction when he appointed her to his cabinet, so why is he throwing her under the bus now? #bbclaurak pic.twitter.com/NuOU2EVjaR
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) December 1, 2024
It’s a good point.
Was Starmer being incompetent when he (allegedly) appointed Haigh despite her past, or is he being incompetent now for allowing her to resign over an issue he (allegedly) knew about?
Victoria Derbyshire: "Is Keir Starmer a hypocrite because he gave a lawbreaker a job in his cabinet having said [you cannot be a lawmaker and a lawbreaker] two years ago?"
Govt minister Pat McFaden: "No he's not" #bbclaurak pic.twitter.com/DNmCOxd2he
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) December 1, 2024
He’s got Reform
Abbott is correct; Starmer is completely and utterly inept. Just look at the video below:
Man hasn't spoken to Diane Abbott since 2020 but will make a point of strolling over to have a giggle with a fascist who is destroying the fabric of british society.
Starmer is an abomination. https://t.co/sC76xiHNi6
— Jack D is on Bluesky 🏳️🌈 (@JackDunc1) November 30, 2024
In the video, a smiling Starmer initiates what he seems to think will be a cosy chat with Nigel Farage – patting his rival on the arm. If we had to guess, we’d speculate Starmer thought this would show Reform voters he takes them seriously. This doesn’t work because Farage is a much smarter operator than him. Farage doesn’t smile back; he instead makes it clear in his manner that he doesn’t respect Starmer at all. In fact, he literally talks down to the man.
As we said, Starmer is completely inept – which Diane Abbott knows, too.
And because of his monumental incompetence, we’ve no doubt that he’ll pass from being Mr Bean to Mr Has Been without winning a second election.
Featured image – Evening Standard and Sky News
