Wtf with this weird Keir Starmer pic on BBC news

[Changingplace]

Is it me? Why is this picture so staged? It looks really odd, why??

Russia can end war now, says PM as Putin warns West www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgxgvw38xjo

It looks like a bad comedy sketch show

Ooh, that is weird!

Doesn’t it! What’s happening here and what does it have to do with what he’s said about the war in Ukraine?

Why are they all kind of gazing adoringly at him? Bizarre!

That’s the press pack pic on official flights - they all get invited to crowd round and ask a question you can see all the main political journalists there. All other PMs have done them too

Yeah it’s press but there’s no need to release something quite so uncomfortably staged, look at this, cringe

They all have them. US presidents do as well. I don't think it's staged just that they've clipped that bit for a photo. Weird seeing Harry Cole so close to Starmer. If I was a journalist I'd find the whole thing weird and a bit undignified but it is what happens. I suppose they all have to lean in to hear above the noise of the plane. Makes for great photos though.

I thought it was a spoof, then realised it was real 😬🫣

It’s won’t be staged, it’s just awkward because gathering around a person on a plane just is awkward in terms of standing around. Tory bear wouldn’t be going along with a staged photo for starmer

That may be the only time I’ve seen a photo of him laughing.

It does look weird but I don’t think it’s staged. Just the weird thing they all actually do being shown in all it’s actual weirdness.

Keir looks like he’s just about to leap out of his chair and start a musical number.

Omg haha. Exactly my first thought. Like a cross between the office and inbetweeners
.

I don’t think I’ve seen a picture of any other leaders doing this but I’m familiar with the concept, we hear of them travelling on flights and I suppose that is what it looks like if loads of people had to crowd around one on a flight! Not staged just funny

I don't think it's staged, I think that's just what the journalists do. You can find almost identical pictures of Sunak and Johnson (not Truss, but I guess she didn't have time).

Like these.

Not staged, just a bit of an odd set up

tony Blair’s and co’s idea

So true 🤣

Thanks for this.

Well I for one are just so relieved it's no longer the other muppet ex PMs in the pictures

Maybe it’s the lighting on the Starmer one, these don’t look quite so awkward somehow.

There are plenty of photos of Tory leaders doing this - it's just what they do. Yes rather odd, but I suppose doing it the sensible way they'd feel like cabin crew - this way the PM gets to sit down.

I think if the Starmer ones were staged, Chris Mason might have chosen a different facial expression for both.

It's a strange image and seems to be used as a press release whenever

But reading the article is anyone concerned about the content?

It pre-dates Blair and co. This one of Margaret Thatcher is so weird that I didn't believe it was her at first.

www.alamy.com/stock-photo-prime-minister-margaret-thatcher-seen-here-with-journalist-on-her-20442808.html

Exactly what I was thinking!

That is so funny. The press guys look wicked. I think she was a bit of a darling with the press there are some off camera comments, and I guess she was being asked to look stern here, or put on one of her "looks". She was quite an incredible person, very clever in many ways, but somehow managed to destroy manufacturing, destroy industry, destroy the NHS and introduce public/private partnerships which were an immoral waste of public money.