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Why is Keir Starmer so disliked (before the Mandelson scandal?)

307 replies

JacquesHarlow · 08/02/2026 10:36

AIBU to ask this? Why was he so vehemently, fundamentally disliked by the British public, even before the Mandelson saga and the (admittedly awful) lack of judgement?

I have seen worse PMs in the last decade alone. I have seen venal, self-serving, arrogant liars hold the office in that time. I have seen hapless, posh types. We’ve all seen the one who couldn’t outlast a lettuce.

So why does Keir Starmer get so much vitriolic hate in comments sections, despite having only held the office for such a short time?

Is it his perceived lack of communication skills? I’ve seen some people criticise him for not being strident, positive, energised, chummy or any of the things we often see in modern politics.

Is it his lack of identifiable policies or political strategy, where people find they can’t get behind him because they don’t know what he (personally) believes in?

Is it ageism (yep I said it!) in that he comes across as formal and correct, in a time where we’re used to seeing other personalities on the world stage?

Or is it that thing I long suspected, that the country is by default Tory in nature, and that despite a heavy frustration at the last five years of Tory incompetence, they can’t bring themselves to accept this party, and are keen to take him down any which way?

The recent saga of the last week is awful. As a woman I can’t stand to see people like the former US ambassador be enabled.

However the hate for Keir long pre dates this.

so why?? Why do people “hate” him?!

P.S I do not work for Ipsos MORI, or Labour HQ, I am not a bot or a troll or whatever people accuse others of when they don’t like the question.

OP posts:
TheSmallAssassin · 08/02/2026 11:16

I don't think he is "vehemently, fundamentally disliked by the British public". There's definitely a vocal section of people who seem to spend their spare time commenting on Facebook (and here) but I don't think the population as a whole feels so strongly about him.

treeowl · 08/02/2026 11:14

I think people are fed up and want miracles which no one can deliver.

I also think there is an element of those impacted by labour polices eg some private school parents have louder voters than those who were impacted by Tory polices.

I can’t see anyone who could replace Starmer at the moment though.

AzureRose · 08/02/2026 11:14

conference: Not right to say only women have a cervix, says Starmer - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58698406.amp That was it for me

He never had my respect again after that. What a fucking stupid man.

Thedevilhasfinallycaughtupwithhim · 08/02/2026 11:13

He stands for nothing and goes for the lowest hanging fruit every time it’s possible.

Bougainsillier · 08/02/2026 11:12

He’s a lying, self serving little weasel of a man. He had none of the charisma (can’t think of a better word) required to lead and represent us on the world stage. He’s actually one of those men who makes my skin crawl.

Churchyard · 08/02/2026 11:09

"a heavy frustration at the last five years of Tory incompetence"

Five years?

Araminta1003 · 08/02/2026 10:52

I didn’t dislike him before. I just thought he was terrible at herding his backbenching cats and that Rachel Reeves is completely incompetent and out of her depth and will bankrupt us all even more. I am sick and tired of them coming for families like us like we are some cash cows and responsible for all their mismanagement and bad choices.

However, now I have realised what a complete amoral liar and snake Starmer is I hate the entire Labour Party. I hated the Tories too for Brexit, I still do.
Not sure where this leaves me. Labour are a nasty deeply misogynistic party with zero respect for people’s hard work, utter disrespect for girls and women, students, educated people. They are deep poison as far as I am concerned.

Having said all of that, we are stuck with them for another two years and I can’t see anyone else being significantly better than Starmer. Rayner is terrible and the public would never ever have voted for Labour if she had been the leader. So if they put her in, that will be them finished for good for people’s living memories. There is a reason Corbyn never got anywhere.

I think the country’s values are small c conservative but also pro honest hard workers across all “classes”. I think successive politicians have destroyed this country and our values system and there should never have been this much centralisation and power and remote governing. It’s like we have gone back to imperial times of the elite out of touch dirty royalty in charge and all us commoners fuelling their debauchery and them just knocking for our sons and taxes and backing off our hard work.

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