Boris Johnson is a liar and the British people are beginning to realise that, Keir Starmer claimed today.
The Labour leader said the Prime Minister was “dishonest” and “socially distanced from the truth” after denying all knowledge of No10 parties.
Sir Keir said voters are starting to “see him for what he really is” and “I think that’s having a pretty profound impact on politics”.
Meanwhile Labour’s leader ruled out tactical ‘stand-aside’ pacts with the Lib Dems at the next election to oust the Tories.
But he suggested Labour would ease off in Lib Dem target seats, saying he will turn his “focus” to places where Labour needs to win most urgently.
In an interview with Times Radio Labour’s leader was asked if he agreed with Dawn Butler - who was removed from the Commons chamber for calling the Prime Minister a liar.
He replied: “Well, yeah, I’ve said he’s socially distanced from the truth is the way I put it in the chamber, because you’re not allowed to call the Prime Minister a liar.”
Asked if, in the sanctuary of a radio studio, he thought the Prime Minister is a liar, he replied: “I think he’s dishonest - yes.
“When he stands up and says he’s furious he’s just found out there had been parties in Downing Street, I don’t think many people believe him.
“I certainly don’t.”
After a string of sleaze scandals, Sir Keir claimed Labour - and the Tories’ own actions - were starting to “expose the government for what it really is”.
He added: “When I took over as leader of the Labour Party, we were something like 25 points behind the Conservative government. We are now ahead.
“Now I’m not so naive as to think it all ends merrily ever after, of course there’ll be wobbles, there’ll be turbulence along the way.
“But to have closed the gap from minus 25 to being ahead of the government in under two years, after the worst defeat in 2019, I think shows a bit of politics.”
But he admitted there was a long road back to winning an election in 2023 or 2024, and said “there’s no route to Labour in government that doesn’t run through Scotland” - where Labour won just one MP seat in 2019.
Last week the Tories were ousted from North Shropshire for the first time in modern history in a Westminster by-election.
The Lib Dems triumphed partly off the back of tactical votes - sparking calls for opposition parties to work together formally to oust the Tories.
Sir Keir said: “I don’t think we can enter formal pacts with other parties, we should be standing our own candidates.
“I do think we should have a Labour candidate that people can vote for wherever they live, and depriving them of that is not the right thing to do.
“There are also issues in relation to our rules.”
But he added: “Look, you know, given the size of the task that we face, given my utter determination that we are going to get this over the line at the next general election, I am very clear as to what our target seats are.
“I know where we need to win across the whole of the UK.
“And therefore I will focus my party on those target seats, on the places where we can win and we know we have to win.”
He added: “If you take North Shropshire - that isn’t on my list of target seats, that is not one of the seats I ever thought we can realistically win.
“Chesham & Amersham, North Shropshire are not on my list of target seats. Am I pleased to see the Tories upended there? Yes, I am.”
