Keir Starmer’s Speech Leaves GB News Hosts “Losing the Will to Live”
Keir Starmer’s recent speech in East Yorkshire has left GB News presenters Bev Turner and Andrew Pierce less than impressed, with the pair joking that they were “losing the will to live” while listening to the Labour leader’s plans.
During his speech, Starmer announced his intention to reduce bureaucracy and bring NHS management back under democratic control by abolishing NHS England. He explained, “Today, I can announce we’re going to cut bureaucracy across the state, focus Government on the priorities of working people, and shift money to the front line. I’m bringing management of the NHS back into democratic control, by abolishing the arms-length body NHS England.”
However, his announcement didn’t exactly set the world alight with Bev Turner, reacting live on-air, saying: “If you’re still with us – well done, congratulations, thank you. We were slightly losing the will to live there, weren’t we, Andrew? You’re listening to Keir Starmer there, not exactly setting the world alight. Do you know what I see? I see a barrister”, reported GB News.
Andrew Pierce wasn’t far behind, agreeing: “It was a speech about bureaucracy.” Bev continued with her take, pointing out how Starmer’s style reminded her of a barrister in a courtroom: “I see a barrister in a courtroom. He’s always like he’s talking to the jury, just appealing to them calmly with the reverence of a courtroom.”
Criticising Starmer’s pledges, Andrew questioned the lack of detail, particularly around the abolition of NHS England. “He’s going to abolish NHS England – he didn’t tell us how much money this is going to release for frontline care – a rather important question. He didn’t say how many pen pushers jobs are going to go, again a rather important fact.”
Bev added a lighthearted comment, saying, “I wish it was Gogglebox because you should have seen our reaction watching that,” hinting that their reaction to Starmer’s speech was more entertaining than the speech itself.
Starmer also discussed his vision for a more efficient civil service, claiming that the state has become too big and ineffective. He said, “At the moment, the state employs more people than we’ve employed for decades, and yet look around the country – do you see good value everywhere? Because I don’t. I actually think it’s weaker than it’s ever been – overstretched, unfocused, trying to do too much, doing it badly. Unable to deliver the security that people need.”
He concluded by stressing the need to move away from a bigger, more intrusive state, one that continually demands more from people without delivering on its core functions.