The Labour leader Keir Starmer faced a barrage of criticism from the Tories’ increasingly desperate campaign after saying he wished to spend Friday evenings with his wife and kids
Keir Starmer has branded fake Tory claims about his work ethic as “laughably ridiculous”.
The Labour leader, who had said he wished to spend Friday evenings with his family, faced a barrage of criticism from the Conservatives’ increasingly “desperate” campaign. One senior Tory even falsely claimed Mr Starmer had said he would work four days a week and be “finishing at six o’clock every evening” if he wins the keys to No10.
Speaking to Times Radio today, Mr Starmer said: “All I said was that on a Friday night, I tend to try and protect that time for my family. Of course, I’ve had to work Fridays in the past, I’ll work Fridays in the future. But it’s laughably ridiculous that this has become talked about by the Tories.”
He added: “The only serious thing I can pull out of this ridiculous desperation on their part is that two days before an election they have got literally nothing positive to say to the country. I’ve spent the best part of six weeks saying they have governed chaotically, in a divided way, in a failed way – and now they are campaigning in exactly the same way they have governed. They are in this ridiculous spiral of desperation”.
His remarks came after the Tory Health Minister Maria Caulfield was told she was peddling inaccurate claims after saying Mr Starmer had said “he’s going to be doing a four-day week and finishing at six o’clock every evening”.
But the presenter Matt Barbet shot back, saying: “No, he didn’t say a four-day week. He said he was going to finish work at six on a Friday like many people do and I believe that’s to help his wife observe her Jewish faith which is commonplace among Jewish people. So not a four-day week – that’s not true.”
The Tory Defence Secretary Grant Shapps even posted on Twitter /X: “The British people will wonder who will be standing in for Starmer between 6pm & 9am – Angela Rayner, David Lammy, Ed Miliband? Defending Britain’s security isn’t a daylight hours only job”.
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The row came after Mr Starmer told Virgin Radio on monday that he and his wife “have had a strategy in place and we will try to keep to it… and that is to care out really protected time for the kids” He added: “So on a Friday – I’ve been doing this for years – I will not do a work-related thing after 6 o’clock, pretty well come what may.”
The Labour leader then pointed out there would be “exceptions”, adding: “But that’s what we do. My son goes kickboxing and so I often take him there. My daughter goes swimming and cheerleading now, so I have been to see her in cheerleading competitions.”
Mr Starmer continued: “One, I am a dad and I love them. They’re my pride and joy and I don’t want to lose that time. Two, I don’t believe in the theory that you’re a better decision-maker if you don’t allow yourself the space to be a dad and have fun with your kids. Actually, it helps me. It takes me away from the pressure, it relaxes me and I think actually, not only is that what I want to do as a dad, it is better.”
