Andrew Pierce and Sarah Vine dissect Keir Starmer’s first speech as Prime Minister on the Mail’s podcast The Reaction: ‘He’s not Blair, is he?

Andrew Pierce and Sarah Vine have dissected Sir Keir Starmer‘s first speech as Prime Minister on the Mail’s podcast The Reaction.

Sir Keir, 61, yesterday became only the fourth Labour leader to win an election with a crushing landslide victory and a huge majority of 174.

He was formally installed as Britain’s 58th PM by King Charles after an audience with the monarch at Buckingham Palace.

He then made his way back to Downing Street where he was greeted by a cheering crowd waving Union Jack flags in scenes that echoed Sir Tony Blair‘s 1997 win. 

Sir Keir stood at the lectern to tell the nation he wanted to ‘change the country’ but warned it will ‘take a while’, saying he wanted to restore the values of ‘service’ to politics. 

Andrew Pierce and Sarah Vine have dissected Sir Keir Starmer ‘s first speech as Prime Minister on the Mail’s podcast The Reaction

Sir Keir Starmer’s first speech as Prime Minister left Pierce less than impressed as he proclaimed: ‘He’s not Blair!’

Tony Blair stands outside 10 Downing Street in 1997 after leading Labour to power for the first time in 18 years

He admitted that many people did not believe he would improve the country.

‘My government will fight every day until you believe again,’ he said.

Sir Keir added: ‘For too long now, we’ve turned a blind eye as millions slid into greater insecurity. 

‘Nurses, builders, drivers, carers – people doing the right thing, working harder every day.

‘Recognised at moments like this before, yet as soon as the cameras stop rolling, their lives are ignored. I want to say very clearly to those people – not this time.’

But Pierce was far from impressed by Sir Keir’s first performance in front of No10 as he proclaimed: ‘He’s not Blair, is he? Oh my God.’

Vine, however, took a controversial view saying she was ‘quite glad’ the Tories are now in the ‘wilderness’, arguing that it would be ‘quite good for them’. 

‘Also, I’m quite relieved that it is going to be somebody else’s fault for a bit,’ she said as Vine said she liked the idea that people ‘couldn’t just point and say it is the evil Tories anymore’. 

Pierce added: ‘On Monday, when the boats start crossing the Channel that’s Labour’s problem, but don’t worry they are going to smash the gangs, Sarah.’

All the ‘completely impossible problems that can’t be solved’ was another plus as they ‘are no longer going to belong to the Conservatives’, Vine argued.

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Sarah Vine and Andrew Pierce bring their own no-holds-barred opinions, insights and reaction (clue is in the title) to the biggest stories of the week. New episodes every Wednesday. 

The Reaction with Sarah Vine & Andrew Pierce, now available as a podcast or on YouTube