Robin Ashenden

Keir Starmer, the Christmas Grinch

Keir Starmer passes the Downing Street Christmas tree (Getty)

If someone were to read the runes, this first Labour Christmas would not augur well. Not only have we had Keir Starmer’s excruciating ‘illuminations countdown’ in Downing Street – a joyless event if ever there was one – but also the cut-price Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square – perhaps the mangiest conifer the Norwegians, in their gratitude, have ever been able to dump on us. A Hampshire priest has been savaged for telling children that Santa Claus doesn’t exist and now, we’re informed, Gen Z have declared an outright hostility to turkey and trimmings. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, a hoohah has sprung up about the BBC ban on the playing of Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers’ anti-Labour song  ‘Freezing This Christmas’, which has lyrics like: 

And she told me that she doesn’t get out of bed till midday,

Because she didn’t want to turn the heating on.

Britain’s best politics newsletters

You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Comments

Join the debate for just £1 a month

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.

Already a subscriber? Log in