Well, well, well. It appears that our newly-minted Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has jetted off to the Big Apple in a valiant attempt to charm the Wall Street tycoons into ploughing their hard-earned cash into Blighty.
You can almost picture it now: Starmer, clutching his briefing notes, desperately trying to convince a room full of investors that he’s got a grip on the economy and is, indeed, the man to make Britain boom.
He even pulled out what he thought was a trump card—a shiny, brand-new announcement of a £10 billion deal with US investment giant Blackstone to build Europe’s largest AI data centre in Blyth. Marvellous, you might think. A major vote of confidence in the UK, proving that Starmer is indeed the captain of the good ship Britannia, steering us back to prosperity. Or is he?
Because here’s the kicker: this so-called “new investment” is about as fresh as a three-day-old prawn sandwich. The deal was actually brokered under the tenure of his predecessor, Rishi Sunak. The ink was barely dry on the agreement when it was announced way back in April 2024—yes, before the last General Election, when Starmer was still warming the Opposition benches. The news was publicised then, the contracts signed, and everyone in the know already knew about it.
A Recycled Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
Starmer’s re-announcement is akin to cutting the ribbon on a building that was completed months ago and claiming credit for the construction. It’s a move more befitting a council PR department than a national leader. One has to wonder why the media isn’t up in arms over this sleight of hand. Perhaps they’ve become too accustomed to Labour’s political spin to recognise an old trick in new wrapping paper?
Starmer’s re-announcement is akin to cutting the ribbon on a building that was completed months ago and claiming credit for the construction. It’s a move more befitting a council PR department than a national leader.
According to Guido Fawkes, the local Tories in Northumberland are less than amused, with one even suggesting that the Prime Minister must feel like a “silly sausage” for trying to bask in the glow of a deal he had nothing to do with. And who can blame them? They, along with the Office for Investment under Sunak, did the real legwork. Starmer, meanwhile, seems to be clutching at low-hanging fruit, trying to sell the British public a rehashed package of success with a shiny new Labour logo slapped on it.
Where Are the Real Deals, Keir?
This begs the question: what has Starmer actually achieved in terms of attracting investment since taking the reins at No. 10? What has he actually done except cause havoc? Is he so bereft of fresh victories that he has to raid Rishi’s trophy cabinet? If this is the pinnacle of his business diplomacy, one has to wonder whether there’s anything of substance beneath the rhetoric and the recycled press releases.
It’s all very well to prance about New York, rubbing elbows with the business elite, but if your biggest boast is a deal that was already locked, loaded, and shouted from the rooftops months ago, then what exactly are you bringing to the table? The British public deserves better than recycled headlines and borrowed victories.
Duping the Public and Dodging the Truth
It’s not just a matter of optics; it’s a matter of integrity. If Starmer’s flagship announcement on this high-profile trip is a second-hand success story, it sets a worrying precedent for his premiership. Are we to expect more instances of this government presenting old news as fresh achievements? The people of Britain are already sceptical enough of political promises without adding plagiarism to the list of grievances.
And let’s not forget, this is the same Keir Starmer who has fashioned himself as “Mr. Integrity.” But what kind of integrity is this, where you claim credit for deals you didn’t negotiate and achievements that aren’t yours? It’s like turning up at the Olympic podium and insisting on a gold medal, even though you didn’t even qualify for the event.
From “Silly Sausage” to “Star-Mare”
So, what do we make of it? Is this already the sign of a government that’s bereft of new ideas and meaningful progress? Is Keir Starmer content to simply coast on the coattails of his predecessor’s accomplishments while pretending they’re his own? For someone who claims to be a fresh start, this is a worrying déjà vu.
In the end, this isn’t just about misleading announcements. It’s about trust. If Starmer and his team can’t be upfront about something as straightforward as this investment deal, what else are they willing to fudge, gloss over, or downright fabricate? It’s time for the Prime Minister to stop playing politics with the truth and start delivering genuine results for the people of Britain—because right now, it’s looking more like a “Star-Mare” than a success story.
Claire Bullivant, Editor
Claire is the founder and editor of the Conservative Post and was a co-founder of the Conservative Democratic Organisation. Claire is now setting up www.GreatBritishPAC.com. Pre-register today.
