Keir Starmer dealt humiliating blow as Labour spokesperson admits 'would not vote for him'

TalkTV viewers were left stunned after former Labour spokesperson James Matthewson openly declared he would not vote Labour if a General Election were held tomorrow, despite having backed the party for decades. In a brutally honest assessment of Labour's current trajectory, Matthewson said: "They're increasingly losing support from people who gave them their vote at the last election, but they're also increasingly losing support from people who've supported them for a very long time, myself included."

Pressed directly on air, he was asked by host Peter Cardwell: "Would you vote Labour if there was an election tomorrow?" Matthewson replied: "No" as Cardwell probed: "You would not vote Labour any longer?" In an extremely humiliating blow for Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour spokesperson reiterated: "No."

When questioned on who he would vote for, Matthewson revealed he had already been wrestling with the same dilemma in private. "I had this conversation yesterday..." he began, hinting at ongoing uncertainty about where disillusioned Labour voters may now turn. The clip spread fast across social media, as viewers shared their thoughts on the exchange online.

Taking to X, one wrote: "How brutal for Starmer!!!!!" A second replied: "They stand for nothing. Why would anyone vote for them?" While a third remarked: "Oh, I'm warming to Matthew, it's @Conservatives for him now, I hope. Finally seen the light."

It comes as Starmer did not repeat the promise not to raise income tax rates, VAT, or National Insurance during Prime Minister's Questions today (October 29). Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argued it showed tax rises are on the way, adding that Labour was "too weak" to control public spending instead.

There has been increasing speculation that chancellor Rachel Reeves could break Labour's manifesto pledges, as she seeks to raise billions of pounds to plug a Budget shortfall.

Reeves is widely expected to increase taxes in the Budget on November 26, following gloomy economic forecasts and a series of U-turns on welfare cuts that have made it more difficult for her to adhere to her own tax and spending rules.

As recently as July, Sir Keir had insisted he stood by his manifesto tax promises, simply replying "yes" when Badenoch asked him a question at a previous PMQs session.

By the end of last month, ministers stated, "the manifesto stands today." However, when asked the same question on Wednesday, the Prime Minister only replied that the Government would "lay out our plans" at next month's Budget.