Starmer has made another change to his cultural hinterland today. The chameleon PM has picked a new favourite book…
On a visit to a school to in Ukraine Starmer has said his favourite book is a football comic:
“My favourite book is ‘Roy of the Rovers.’ It’s a fabulous book – well known in Anfield. … I love football, so all my books are about football.”
That’s not a novel. Back last year the Guardian reported Starmer “doesn’t have a favourite novel or poem.” Before he was DPP he told friends his favourite book was Franz Kafka’s The Trial. By 2022 that had morphed into James Kelman’s A Disaffection, which he listed as his choice on Desert Island Discs. Maybe he’s taken comfort in Roy the Rovers on those stressful nights in Downing Street…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”