Starmer seen as a Mr Plod

WHAT is it that makes a politician acceptable to the public?

It would appear that authenticity, exuding an air of authenticity and feeding the public a narrative which is upbeat, positive and optimistic, all go a long way towards achieving that goal.

Machine politicians, programmed to provide glib and robotic responses, do not float the public’s boat. Give them a politician who sounds human, appears to share their aspirations and has the ability to voice them and they will be that politician’s followers.

Some honest politicians find it hard to make that breakthrough, not being blessed with the common touch or the capacity to strike a chord in the breasts of their audience.

Without digging deep into the annals of history to produce evidence to back this thesis up, we only have to look at the recent election campaign and the results which flowed from it.

Sir Keir Starmer comes across as a capable and decent man but he leaves the electorate with the feeling that he is no more than a Mr Plod, dull and uninspiring, while the charlatan who occupies Number 10 puts a bounce into people’s step despite being a rogue whose actions betray his utterances in both public and private matters.

Boris Johnson cuts through to the public and gives them that feelgood factor. So far, his bubble has not yet burst while that of Sir Keir looks to be uninflatable.

The Labour leader looks to be on a downward spiral while Mr Johnson’s stock is on the up and up.

Let us hope that the people’s trust in Boris does not turn out to be a seismic South Sea Bubble.

Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.