Starmer has buckled under pressure and responded to the viral petition demanding a general election, now with over 2 million signatures and counting. Appearing on ITV this morning, he explained that despite not being “surprised” by the petition, it isn’t going to shift the dial:
“I remind myself that very many people didn’t vote Labour at the last election. I’m not surprised that many of them want re-run. That isn’t how our system works. There will be plenty of people who didn’t want us in in the first place, so look, what I focus on is the decisions that I have to make every day.”
If you’re explaining, you’re losing…
Speaking about Morgan McSweeney’s resignation, skills minister Jacqui Smith told Times Radio:
“It’s clearly not ideal but I do understand why Morgan, as he explained, decided to resign at this point. But the important thing as you say is how we both tackle what this Epstein and Mandelson scandal has identified and also how we make sure, as the prime minister is absolutely determined to, that we continue the change that the country needs and that’s what I’m focusing on this morning.”