KEIR Starmer’s main personality trait is officially telling everybody that he’s not Jeremy Corbyn.
And when would be a better time to really hammer home that message than the Platinum Jubilee?
While the UK struggles with a cost-of-living crisis leading to living standards falling at the fastest level on record, the supposed party of the workers is out and about demanding the public celebrate the royal family. Yes, really.
The Labour leader, writing in The Telegraph of all places, said it is the public’s “patriotic duty” to celebrate the monarch’s 70th year as head of state.
In his column, Starmer told councils across the UK to make sure that “as many people can celebrate as possible” at street parties – echoing Boris Johnson’s call that councils shouldn’t block last-minute event applications.
Glasgow City Council is one of those being accused of being a “killjoy” for refusing to relax local public drinking rules.
In his article, Starmer said the Jubilee celebrations present an opportunity to reflect on the Queen’s reign and added: “It isn’t simply a chance for a country wearied by the extraordinary circumstances of the past few years to let its hair down – although it is, of course, your patriotic duty to do just that.”
Starmer took the opportunity to also argue that the Queen has made Britain a better country, one which has rejected “extremism” – although perhaps he hasn’t been paying attention to some of the Tory Party’s recent policies ….
“Her Majesty’s commitment to duty and her passion for furthering our country on the world stage have not just benefited each of us – they have also conferred on her the respect and love of people here and across the world. She has shown us that integrity, hard work and selflessness are the antidote to pessimism,” he wrote.
“Her Majesty’s constant presence – a bridge between different eras – has been an important part in helping us to wrestle with those questions.
“That Britain has at every juncture rejected extremism is in no small part due to our idea of who we are as a people: an idea borne of a sense of stability that cannot exist without strong institutions.”
He concluded: “Just as the Queen has led us through the past 70 years, all that she has taught us – about duty, tolerance, humility and responsibility – will continue to guide us into this next era. We are a better, brighter country because of her. Our history is richer, our future built on firmer foundations and our great country made greater still by her rule.”
The Labour chief’s intervention did not go down particularly well on social media. While some suggested he had been taken out of context on the “patriotic duty” quote, it was difficult to tell if he’d been joking in that line – given his team happily promoted the Telegraph article which was full to the brim of royal-loving.
Irvine Welsh, the Scottish author behind Trainspotting, said quite succinctly: “Get f***** you ridiculous clown.”
Ross Colquhoun, strategist with the SNP, pointed out that Starmer has previously been insistent that his party is NOT nationalist – suggesting that claim doesn’t quite measure up with the Telegraph piece.
Another Twitter user added: “I don't have any patriotic duty to the royal family. Why should I? They live a life of pampered luxury for absolutely no reason.”
The Jouker awaits his punishment of being thrown in the Tower of London for failing to cover himself in Union flag bunting this weekend.
