Alastair Campbell: Idea of Keir Starmer as a great Remainer 'laughable'

21 May 2021, 11:47 | Updated: 21 May 2021, 11:51

Alastair Campbell gives his take on Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader

By Tim Dodd

Alastair Campbell tells LBC he 'can't stop laughing' when he hears Tories presenting Keir Starmer as a 'great Remainer'.

His comments were made to Iain Dale during an exclusive one hour interview, Iain began by asking him: "What happened at Christmas which turned Keir Starmer from a threat to the Tories to someone who they think is a bit of laughing stock?"

Mr Campbell replied: "I think they'd be foolish to think that if that's what they think.

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"His big point when he arrived was that he wasn't Corbyn, and put to one side the Labour party die-hard Corbyn supporters who can see no wrong in him - I think for a large part of the population who want the Labour party to do well and want a strong opposition and want the Labour party to become a government, they went 'phew we've got someone back who we can imagine in Downing St, he's serious, sensible, mainstream etc.

"A combination of things have reduced his impact. One, he keeps going on about Covid has made it difficult to get out and about and meet people etc. I think if you're a top-flight politician you can always get out and about, not least by coming and talking to you.

"Labour has been a little too static for about a year - Covid, Brexit. I think disabling themselves on Brexit by backing the deal was a mistake. I think that it means that now Brexit is going wrong in all sorts of places, they just don't want to talk about it."

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When Iain asked if Mr Campbell thinks Keir Starmer's record on Brexit will always be held against him by people in the seats that he has to win back, Alastair said: "I really don't. I think that's such a Westminster thing. The problem with Keir out in those seats is that they don't know who he is!

"I can't stop laughing when I hear them projecting him as this great Remainer. He was the one who sat in my kitchen and said why are you wasting your time with this People's Vote campaign? It's just not going to happen."