Jeremy Corbyn has issued a personal response to Keir Starmer’s praise for Margaret Thatcher on Sunday, just hours after his Peace and Justice Project slammed the Labour leader for his controversial stance.
What did Keir Starmer say about Margaret Thatcher?
The piece, published on Sunday, paid tribute to the former Prime Minister for ‘dragging Britain out of its stupor’. Thatcher still remains a bitterly detested figure amongst many Labour supporters, and her legacy is one of the most divisive in UK politics.
Alas, Starmer has thrown caution to the wind, imploring disillusioned Tories to ‘take another look at Labour’. His attempt to court these potential floating voters is likely to leave a sour taste among long-term Labour backers.
“Across Britain, there are people who feel disillusioned, frustrated, angry, worried. I also understand that many will still be uncertain about Labour. I ask them to take a look at us again.”
“Margaret Thatcher sought to drag Britain out of its stupor by setting loose our natural entrepreneurialism… effecting meaningful change.”
“The course of shock therapy we gave our party had one purpose: to ensure that we were once again rooted in the priorities, the concerns and the dreams of ordinary British people. To put country before party.” | Keir Starmer
Sir Keir faces wrath of Corbyn
Posting on Twitter/X, Corbyn lashed at out at the ‘legacy of Thatcherism’, blaming her tumultuous time as Prime Minister for making life harder for vulnerable citizens decades after she left office. He also took a swipe at Starmer for saying that Thatcher ‘effected meaningful change’.
“Every week, I speak to renters threatened with eviction. Homeless people struggling to survive. Parents using foodbanks. Elderly people who can’t afford heating. That is the legacy of Thatcherism. We will never achieve meaningful change until it ends for good.” | Jeremy Corbyn
Richard Murphy, a political campaigner and Professor of Accounting Practice at the University of Sheffield, also took offence to Starmer’s position. He vehemently contests the notion that the ‘Iron Lady’ was responsible for releasing entrepreneurialism across the country:
“Margaret Thatcher did not release entrepreneurialism in the UK. She released monopolistic exploitation. As someone who knows the true meaning of being an entrepreneur, I can tell you that neither is in any way similar to entrepreneurialism.”| Professor Richard Murphy