Keir Starmer Stumbles as Susanna Reid Asks ‘Why Do You Think You’re So Unpopular?’

Keir Starmer struggled to answer tough questions during a Good Morning Britain interview with Susanna Reid at the ongoing Labour Party conference, particularly when asked about his popularity and the state of the economy.

Reid didn’t hold back, asking Starmer directly, “Why do you think you’re so unpopular?” Starmer’s response seemed to echo a familiar theme of blaming the Conservative Government’s long tenure in power. “I think that for 14 years, under the last government, people really suffered. Their wages didn’t go up materially, they didn’t feel better off, and their public services were decimated,” he said.

“We won a victory last July, a landslide victory, on the basis that we would change, renew, or take our country forward. I always said that would take time, but I sense and understand the feeling from people, saying, ‘get on with it.’, reported the Express.

Reid quickly turned the heat up, pointing out that despite his promises, many voters still weren’t feeling better off. “You asked voters to judge you on whether they’re going to feel better off. Already, many are not feeling better off,” she remarked.

Starmer attempted to reassure her, saying, “Obviously, we have got a scheme in place to bring bills down for millions of families, not everybody. I accept, and we will do other measures to bring those bills down.” But Reid pressed again, asking, “You’ve had 14 months in government.” Starmer responded, stammering, “I know how it’s bearing down on people. We’re moving as fast as we can on this.”

The conversation then shifted to the economy, with Reid highlighting the £30 billion “black hole” in the government’s finances. “You promised you would stabilise the economy.

The black hole’s massive. Who’s going to pay this time? Are you going to stick to your manifesto commitment not to increase tax, National Insurance and tax on working people?” she asked.

Starmer was adamant in his response: “The manifesto stands, and since we stand up until and including the budget. But of course, we stand by the manifesto.” Reid wasn’t letting up, asking again, “So you won’t increase national insurance or income tax, VAT on working people?” Starmer reiterated, “We stand by the manifesto.”

The interview then moved to Starmer’s recent remarks about Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, with Reid challenging him on his description of one of Reform’s policies as “racist.” Starmer took a moment before responding, “The divide of the next election will be between Labour and Reform.

And that means it will be between patriotic national renewal, where we fix our problems and take our country forward. Where I as Prime Minister want to serve the whole of our country, our beautiful, tolerant, diverse country.”

He then contrasted Labour’s vision with that of Reform, adding, “Or Reform, which will divide our country. Toxic division. And Reform, who doesn’t want to fix the problems because they are feeding off grievance. It’s a fundamental choice about who we are as a country.”

Reid pressed further, asking, “Do you accuse people considering voting for Reform of being racist?” Starmer quickly denied it, saying, “No, not in the slightest.” He then explained the differences between Labour and Reform’s stance on immigration, stating, “Many people are thinking of voting for Reform.

They want to make sure we’ve secured our borders. Quite right, too. That is fundamentally different to Nigel Farage saying he wants to deport migrants who are lawfully here, have been here for years, working in our schools, in our hospitals, running businesses, who are our neighbours.”

Starmer emphasised that Farage’s approach would cause harm, stating, “That will tear our country apart. It goes to the heart of who we are as a country.

We are a diverse country. We’ve had people coming from different countries for many years. They are a part of who we are. And what he says about deporting people who are lawfully here, not illegally, unlawfully here sends a shudder through the spines of many people.”