Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has come under fire from Jeremy Vine fans after his decision to remove a portrait of Margaret Thatcher from Number 10 Downing Street.
The controversy erupted following comments made by Starmer that the £100,000 painting of the former prime minister made him feel "unsettled," leading to its removal from the prime ministerial residence.
Jeremy Vine, the well-known broadcaster, ignited the debate on his show and posted on X: "We're discussing whether the prime minister was right to remove a portrait of Margaret Thatcher from Number 10.
"Starmer found the £100,000 painting 'unsettling'. However, senior Tories have branded him vindictive and petty."
This move by Starmer has been seen by many as a symbolic rejection of Thatcher's legacy, and while some have supported the decision, others have been vocal in their criticism.
Fans of Jeremy Vine were quick to share their thoughts, with one user remarking, “Ridiculous! So much is happening in the world such as war crimes in Palestine, but the removal of Margaret Thatcher’s painting is more important?”
Another added: “It’s not in his home! It’s in No.10. He doesn’t put it up on the market when he’s eventually voted out. There is a portrait of every PM and she was the first female PM. @Keir_Starmer is being pathetic.”
The debate also highlighted the historical significance of the Thatcher room, with one fan blasting: “Because it’s called the Thatcher room you ignorant fool.”
The removal of the painting has been viewed by some as an affront to tradition and the role that Thatcher played as the UK’s first female prime minister.
Tory MP and former Home Secretary Priti Patel has also chimed in on the debate, saying: "56 days in office and [Sir Keir] seems to be spending more time removing portraits of great, strong Conservative female leaders, rather than getting on and doing the strong job of government."
Former Tory Cabinet minister Sir John Whittingdale, who served as Lady Thatcher's political secretary, said it was right for the former PM to be commemorated in the room that "was so much associated with her".
"To [move the portrait] quite so quickly... it looks like playing to the Left, who do not share most people's admiration of her and he's probably appeasing his left-wing backbenchers," he told the Daily Mail.
"But most people would recognise her importance to this country's history and it is right that she is remembered for that."
