March Moss / 28 June 2025 / Categories: People, Politicians

The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and His deputy Angela Rayner give me the ICK "Exploring the 'Ick' Factor in UK Politics: Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner's Public Perception"

Are they for real? Homer and Marge Simpson more credible Exploring the Public's Uncomfortable Reactions to UK Leaders Starmer and Rayner

I voted Labour I’ll admit it and consider myself a socialist in principle a fiscal libertarian, but a year in I am embarrassed by this leadership team, Keir Starmer, don’t get me started on Rachael Reeves who I am convinced is a puppet, turn her around and I’m sure you’ll find the hand working her in the back and Angela Rayner with whom, and I hate to sound trivial about her presentation and style but woman to women representing the UK, I think a makeover would help her to be more credible in the senior role in government she’s taken on. I am a woman who understands the struggle women still face in the workplace in senior roles and I don’t believe she would ever be taken seriously and get the changes in place she’s so vocal about backing. The principle, just because you say it doesn’t make it true.

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I bet she’s tolerated at best by the boss if the truth be known. has to toe the line when she’s needed to snarl on unpopular policy and then take the hit on her credibility when the U turns happen. She hasn’t gained my respect, far too loud and pushy without much to back it up from where I am standing and I voted for her. Where’s the humility, the grace, the wit, the charm, the reflection. She more school bully than head girl.

Every time I switch on the TV and see her standing at the lecture in the House of Commons with a her bullish almost cock sure approach, about as much oratory ability as a snarling Rotteweiler chained from an outdoor kennel it makes me cringe. It doesn’t have to be like this as I think of other female role models in power Christine Lagarde, head of the European Central Bank, Georgia Meloni, the Italian PM, Sanna Marin, the ex prime minister of Finland or Jacinda Ardern the former PM of New Zealand (and I am not referring to their politics here just how they carry themselves)

Don’t get me wrong I am all for seeing more women in positions of power, I can’t stand seeing the same images of a bunch of blokes standing on podiums like the recents shots of the G7 summit in Canada or the latest NATO talks when I think I counted three females on the 2nd and back rows hidden behind their much taller male colleagues front and centre but surely we can come up with some better more believable and credible candidates than these. The minister for prisons, the justice Secretary Shabana Mahmoud is exactly the same, if you count the amount of times she says UM when asked any direct questions while been interviewed (the only person I’ve seen do it more the PM himself) you can tell she’s working to a few scripted lines and has it drummed into her, stick to plan, stay on message, at any cost, regardless of the questions. It’s embarrassing.

A year in and the Prime Minisyer is apologising in the Observer through the interview lens of his own biographer Tom Baldwin for Homer Simpson size gaffs like us ending up as a country of stranger to describe the immigration issues facing the nation. Letting out a load of offenders to stop the prison system collapsing, 3 massive policy U turns, the latest on scraping the Personal Independence Payments for save £5 billion by 2030 which has ended being welfare cuts to save £2 billion instead still with a big question mark he’ll get the new bill passed in the commons and agreeing at the NATO summit to Donald Trumps demands we spend 5% of GDP on defense, money we just haven’t got.

The whole thing is a complete shambles to my mind, it’s just the local council on a bigger grander scale. Instead of free tea and biscuits, flex hours and jobs for life it’s bad clothes, even worse speaking skills and people who cannot seem to understand to be credible you have to believe yourself and to lead you have to navigate the nah sayers and have the charisma to convince them rest you are right and to go with you. Non of this is happening and why I am now embarrassed to tell people I am one of the people to blame for this.

When I voted I was looking for a government with vision and strength, a team I could believe in. People I knew were smart and had things figured out. Individuals committed to making things better for everyone not just different fat cats enjoying the power, the privilege and being on TV.

We have more females in positions of power in the government than ever before and the only one I think actually thinks for herself and can hold her own in a credible way when facing the tough questions is Home Secretary Yvette Cooper an experienced and long serving MP and she’s actually let herself go too when it comes to professional grooming.

Feminists and croc wearers may call me out suggesting female leaders need to look better, and to be honest it’s not just the women, I think Keir Starmer could take some grooming advice from Rishi Sunak when it comes to his presentation. Even Boris Johnson perpetually unkept and dishevelled and even if you disagree with his politics, didn’t read off a card.

I struggle take someone seriously who goes on camera with dirty hair and a beer gut unless what is coming out of their mouth is impassioned and convincing.

Come on, it doesn’t take much, a few decent well chosen outfits from the charity shops around Westminster, a trip to a hairdresser or barber, some HRT for the menopausal women, less boozing and raving, a little bit of make up for the men too on TV and stopping trying to con us all and we might actually get somewhere on the world stage.

So many other countries have higher standards and everyone knows it always starts at the top.

I say stop worrying about your reputation Labour and start thinking about your characters, your reputation is only what people think you are. It’s who you are for real that really matters and that’s on show for everyone to see.

It’s just an opinion and I am just a midwife serving woman directly and the wider community in much the same way as a politician focusing on equality for women and human rights when it comes their healthcare.

Image credit Phil Hearing Unspash