Keir Starmer was called out by an unimpressed Victoria Derbyshire in an explosive TV interview with Treasury Secretary James Murray.
Keir Starmer was slammed by Victoria Derbyshire (Image: PA)
A furious Victoria Derbyshire slammed Keir Starmer in a “car crash” BBC interview with Treasury Minister James Murray.
She slammed: “I thought you said you were going to be better than the Conservatives. Things are going to be better, you said!” Viewers watched transfixed, as one exclaimed: “Astonishing. Even the BBC luvvies are calling out Keir Starmer‘s blatant hypocrisy and cronyism. This is an absolute car crash.”
“Is cronyism bad under a Conservative government and okay under a Labour government?” Derbyshire quizzed. James Murray insisted Starmer has been adamant that he’ll “drive cronyism out” of government, but Derbyshire bluntly responded: “Well, he’s not doing a very good job so far, is he?”
Derbyshire was determined to hold Starmer to account during the Newsnight interview as she pointed out that peers and donors seemed to be receiving special privileges. For instance, peer Lord Alli gave Starmer a donation totalling almost £20,000 for work clothing, leaving viewers to exclaim: “Does he really need help with buying suits?”
Lord Alli was then provided with an access- all-areas security pass for Downing Street after making the generous donation. That was just one example, as the Labour Party press officer for Wes Streeting then landed a role as senior media relations officer in the Department of Health.
Keir Starmer came under fire during the tense interview (Image: PA)
Her fierce criticism comes after it was revealed that the Prime Minister’s popularity has plunged to an all-time low.
It was recorded in a survey by More In Common as minus 16 – a record low and a huge decrease from the 27 per cent rating he received immediately after elections.
Murray stated that “process and procedure is absolutely critical” to “restore trust” in the government and that Labour intends to focus on the needs of the British people instead of “inter-party politics”.
However, Derbyshire pointed out he’d promised a “total crackdown” on cronyism and ministers “giving jobs to their mates”.
James Murray supported Starmer throughout the Newsnight interview (Image: BBC)
“You have been giving civil service jobs to Labour supporters and Labour donors,” she exclaimed.
“You’ve given a security pass to a Labour peer who paid for Keir Starmer‘s spectacles and chinos during the election campaign. That is the definition of cronyism, isn’t it?”
Murray refused to “comment on individual cases”, saying it would be inappropriate – and Derbyshire remained unconvinced.
Now more than half of all people in a recent poll believe Labour is either “very” or “somewhat corrupt” – even including 23 per cent of the party’s supporters.
