Labour leader Keir Starmer has taken a shot at Boris Johnson’s recent attempt to prove his fitness levels, suggesting the two could face-off in a press-ups challenge. He also blasted the PM’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.
During an interview with ITV’s ‘Good Morning Britain’ on Monday, Starmer was asked by co-host Piers Morgan whether he was able to manage more than one press-up.
“I can. I mean, I was thinking at PMQs maybe question one could be first to fifty,” joked Starmer.
PM Johnson was pictured in the Mail on Sunday carrying out some press-ups in an attempt to show that he was “as fit as a butcher’s dog,” after critics had questioned his energy levels since returning to work from being hospitalized with Covid-19.
Johnson was widely ridiculed on social media for his public stunt, which saw him on the floor straining to complete the exercise, dressed in a shirt and tie in No. 10 Downing Street.
Starmer – who took over from Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader in April – also gave a scathing verdict on Johnson’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and highlighted the Dominic Cummings scandal as the main cause of the breakdown in government communications, claiming: “They're losing control of the messaging.”
Starmer said he is “sweating blood” to rebuild public trust in his party, after it suffered a crushing defeat in December’s general election. There may be cause for optimism for the 57-year-old, however, with a recent poll showing the British public favored his leadership over PM Johnson.