The social media landscape is currently awash with misinformation concerning UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, ranging from distorted video clips to fabricated claims about his stance on immigration and a petition calling for his resignation. A video circulating widely online purports to show Starmer instructing British citizens to leave the country if they disapprove of his government’s actions. This clip, often accompanied by captions accusing Starmer of prioritizing illegal immigrants over British citizens, is being presented out of context and is not representative of his actual policies or intentions.
The video in question originates from a speech delivered by Starmer in February 2023, months before he assumed the role of Prime Minister. The speech was given in response to a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which cleared the Labour Party of unlawful discrimination and antisemitism following a period of internal reform. Starmer’s words, “If you don’t like the changes that we’ve made, I say the door is open, and you can leave,” were specifically addressed to disgruntled Labour Party members considering leaving the party, not to British citizens at large. This crucial context is deliberately omitted in the misleading social media posts, twisting the meaning of his statement to fit a false narrative.
Further fueling the misinformation fire are claims linking the out-of-context video to an online petition demanding Starmer’s resignation and a general election. The petition, while having garnered a substantial number of signatures, has become a breeding ground for false information. Speculation about the petition’s legitimacy abounds, with some suggesting widespread fraudulent signatures from non-UK citizens. While the petition platform does allow UK citizens living abroad to sign, the presence of numerous signatures seemingly originating from foreign countries has raised concerns. However, it is important to differentiate between signatures from UK citizens abroad and potentially fabricated entries.
Adding to the confusion are misleading interpretations of the petition data. The repeated appearance of MPs’ names, including Starmer’s, has been erroneously interpreted as evidence of politicians signing the petition multiple times, potentially to inflate the numbers. In reality, these recurring names represent constituents who have signed the petition, with the MP’s name listed for geographical identification purposes. This technicality has been exploited to further discredit the petition and fuel baseless accusations against Starmer and other MPs.
Further complicating matters, unfounded rumors have circulated alleging that Starmer has threatened to arrest individuals who sign the petition. There is no credible evidence to support this claim, which appears to be another attempt to smear the Prime Minister and discourage participation in the petition. Such misinformation tactics seek to undermine democratic processes and create a climate of fear and distrust.
Ultimately, the petition, regardless of the authenticity of all signatures, is highly unlikely to result in Starmer’s resignation or trigger a general election. While the government is obligated to respond to petitions reaching certain signature thresholds and Parliament may consider debating it, there is no legal requirement for the government to take any further action. The power to call a general election rests solely with the Prime Minister, and given Starmer’s recent landslide victory, an early election seems improbable. The spread of misinformation surrounding the petition serves primarily to sow discord and undermine public trust in the political process.
