Keir Starmer Faces Tough Questions on This Morning ‘Your Approval Rating is Lower Than Nigel Farage’s’
Viewers of ITV’s This Morning voiced frustration online after an interview with Prime Minister Keir Starmer aired on Monday. Starmer appeared on the show with hosts Cat Deeley and Andi Peters, addressing a variety of pressing issues, including new drink-spiking laws, rising offenses against women, and a growing petition for another General Election.
The 17-minute interview began with Starmer outlining the government’s proposed law against drink spiking. “We want to make it easier for our police and our courts to identify the offence and prosecute,” he said, adding that he was “determined” to crack down on offenders. Deeley also highlighted the rise in crimes targeting women on public transport, prompting Starmer to mention ongoing discussions in parliament, reported by GB News.
However, tension grew as the hosts shifted focus to broader criticisms of Starmer’s government. Peters asked, “Has it been five months you expected it to be?” Starmer admitted, “I took the decision that we’d make the hard decisions first. You have to do the hard yards up front… we’re doing the tough stuff.” He defended his government’s actions, emphasizing investments in the NHS and education while acknowledging the public’s struggles: “I’m not pretending to those that are impacted that things aren’t tough.”
Peters later brought up the growing petition, signed by over two million people, calling for a new General Election. Starmer responded: “I remind myself that very many people didn’t vote Labour at the last election. I’m not surprised that many of them want a re-run, but that isn’t how our system works.”
Peters pressed further, saying, “Surely you want us, the public, to trust you, to like you, to think, ‘He’s the man for the job.’” In a sharp critique, Peters added, “Your approval rating is lower than Nigel Farage’s right now… that’s disappointing.”
Starmer stood firm, explaining, “If you make your mind up, as I have done, that we’re going to do the difficult things first, then it’s inevitable that people do feel they’re decisions. I mean, I understand that.”
The interview concluded with a discussion on shoplifting, which Starmer described as “awful.” He criticized the previous government’s threshold policy for prosecuting theft under £200, stating, “We’re changing that.”
While the segment tackled significant topics, viewers expressed mixed reactions online, with some criticizing the lack of in-depth challenges and others applauding Peters for asking tough questions.