Keir Starmer had an awkward Valentine’s night encounter in a Newcastle hotel – when he arrived at his room only to find someone else in the bed.
The Labour leadership frontrunner said the toe-curling moment happened 10 days ago… after he was asked to name the most exciting thing he’s ever done.
Originally the Shadow Brexit Secretary said: “Oh I’ve done lots of exciting things, erm, you know, with, well, you know, with playing football, going to football with my kids…”
But after being mocked for his tame answer by LBC, he upped the ante – admitting the very awkward mix-up when he got stuck on the way to a campaign event in Glasgow.
He insisted he backed out swiftly – saying: “When I saw someone was in the bed I thought, ‘this is not the place for a conversation’.”
It came as Sir Keir toured the broadcast studios this morning as members’ voting kicks off between him, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy in the Labour leadership contest.
(Image: Ian Forsyth)
Sir Keir refused to say if he would have Jeremy Corbyn in his shadow cabinet – in stark contrast to his left-wing rival Ms Long-Bailey, who suggested last week she could give him a role.
Mr Corbyn – who will quit when the new leader takes office on April 4 – said last week said he would be “happy to serve” in his successor’s top team.
(Image: Ian Forsyth)
But Sir Keir insisted: “I have not discussed with anyone who might be in a shadow cabinet because I’m not so presumptuous as to think I’m going to win.
“I’m focused on actually getting every vote in.”
The Labour MP – who has vowed to bring back EU freedom of movement – also tried to cement his place as the pro-EU candidate by pledging to axe salary thresholds for migrants coming to Britain.
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Last week, the Home Office announced that it would introduce a points-based immigration system – with points awarded for key requirements like being able to speak English to a certain level, having a job offer from an approved employer, and meeting a minimum salary threshold.
The salary threshold for skilled migrants will be lowered to £25,600 for those coming to the UK with a job offer and there may be concessions for those earning no less than £20,480 as long as they still meet certain requirements or their occupation is short of staff.
Sir Keir told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The position the Government has just taken is completely wrong – where they are equating the worth of an individual coming to this country by how much money they earn. I think that’s profoundly the wrong approach…
(Image: VisitBritain RM)
“I think the idea that if you don’t earn a certain salary you’re not bringing anything of any worth to this country is offensive.”
Asked if he would do away with salary thresholds, he replied: “I would – I do not think they are the right measure for the worth of an individual coming to this country.”
Recalling the incident in the Newcastle hotel Sir Keir said: “We were on our way up to Glasgow for a hustings and got stuck in Newcastle because all the trains couldn’t move out of Newcastle.
“It’s Friday night and it’s Valentine’s night by the way and we haven’t got a room.
“So we go across to the hotel and eventually a room is rustled up, they give me a key and I’m quite relieved. I go up to go in and open the door and there’s a single bed – and there’s somebody in it.
“I thought, for Friday night, Valentine’s…”
Asked if the person was male or female he said: “I didn’t get that far. When I saw someone was in the bed I thought, ‘this is not the place for a conversation’.”
