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

[JacquesHarlow]

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.

You don't need to be charasmatic to get people onside. You need to know your stuff, prove yourself and be reliable.

Equally there is Richard Branson who was chummy with JE to the extent of "being along your harem".

But no one says a word about that.

Yes, it’s very odd that the media haven’t focused on Branson at all. I think he must be very grateful for the media coverage of Andrew MW and Mandelson. (Not that they shouldn’t face everything they deserve, obviously, but so should all the other wealthy and powerful men who are clearly in it up to their necks.)

It also says a lot that the only one in prison happens to be a woman, however much she deserves to be there.)

Certainly it is what the media wants. There was a kind of desperation evident amongst reports and interviewers on London when the prospect of Starmer resigning was slipping away. I guess that, for many reporters, it's easy money writing reports about yet another leadership challenge, the leadership election, the new cabinet, new political proposals etc - before they settle down to get their teeth into the next victim.

As a matter of interest, how did you feel about Johnson and Truss?

Just the same. Lying, self serving, incompetents. Why is the bar set so low?

It is indeed a very low bar but a convenient distraction from answering the question.
Why is Starmere so unpopular?
Answer: The Tories were worse