Starmer’s local media round: the lowlights

It’s been another bad week for the government, with rows over farmers, ships and businesses too. So what better time for Keir Starmer to manfully undertake his media duties, sitting out this morning for a grilling with local BBC news stations? This annual ordeal can prove somewhat merciless – as Liz Truss famously found to her cost in 2022. Faced with six of the best, how did the current PM compare?

First up was BBC Merseyside, where Starmer answered a question about energy bills by talking about, er, anti-social behaviour orders. The host immediately interrupted to point out that ‘we’ve drifted off the topic.’ Next, it was a trip to the East of England where the PM was forced on the back foot from the start. ‘I’ve got absolutely nothing against Lincolnshire!’ he protested to BBC Radio Lincs. If you have to say it…

Third up was the West Midlands where Starmer tried to turn a discussion of Birmingham Council’s financial woes on to – drum roll – anti-social behaviour, before being cut off again.