Labour leader: No 10 is no place for a comedian
Sir Keir Starmer has said it was not “a real laugh to crash the economy” as he argued the country does not need a “comedian” as prime minister.
He was asked about countering his image as a dull politician in an interview with Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts.
“I find this whole discussion pretty tedious, because most people know that the job of prime minister is a pretty serious job,” he said. “We actually had a comedian with Boris Johnson, and it really didn’t go very well. And then we had Liz Truss. I don’t think it was a real laugh to crash the economy with that kamikaze budget.”
It is more important to have a leader who understands people’s struggle to make ends meet, Starmer said.
“I think many people say: ‘I’d rather have someone who knows what it’s like and is serious about putting it right and taking us forward than someone who’s got brilliant one-liners,” said the Labour leader, adding: “But I have got a few one-liners.”
Asked about Labour’s failure so far to elect a female leader, the former Director of Public Prosecutions said he would be the first to say that the party needed a woman prime minister.
“Happily I’ve got really powerful, strong women in the shadow cabinet in very, very important roles,” he said. “If you want to look at which is the party that’s bearing down on women and actually holding them back, it’s the government, because almost everything they do, everything that they mess up – and they’ve absolutely damaged the economy – impacts women disproportionately.”
Starmer welcomed a question – often posed to prominent women – on how he balances the demands of his job with those of having a young family.
“I’ve got a hard stop in my diary at 6 o’clock on a Friday,” he revealed. “Unless it’s exceptional, I will be going home.”