Tory conference: Greg Hands mocks Labour leader with ‘Keir Starmer flip flops’

The Conservative Party chairman held up the footwear at the conference in Manchester.
Chairman of the Conservative Party Greg Hands holds up a pair of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer ‘flip flops’ (PA)
PA Wire
Martina Bet1 October 2023
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The Conservative Party chairman has mocked the Labour Leader by holding a pair of “Sir Keir Starmer flip flops” on the main stage of Tory conference.

Greg Hands kicked off the proceedings in Manchester accusing Sir Keir of being a “man who will literally say anything that suits him at that time”.

He said: “Who is the real Sir Keir Starmer? The friend and supporter of Jeremy Corbyn? The puppet of Tony Blair? Or the mouthpiece of Just Stop Oil?”

He then got out a pair of black and red flip flops with the Labour Leader’s face printed on them.

As he showed them off to party members, Mr Hands told the Exchange Hall at Manchester Central Convention Complex: “I always thought that the best leaders wake up each morning, and ask themselves, ‘What am I going to do today?’.

“Some leaders ask themselves, ‘What am I going to say today?’

“Sir Keir wakes up and asks, ‘What am I going to believe today?’

“Ladies and Gentlemen, can I let you into a secret – if anyone likes the association of Sir Keir with flip flops, I have these: available for just £16.99 here at the Conservative Party shop and also online at Conservatives.com, your own pair of Sir Keir Starmer flip flops and I’d warmly recommend them to you.”

Speaking afterwards, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris also criticised the Labour leader for changing his mind about Brexit, telling party members: “Remember Keir Starmer, he backed Remain.

“Then, said he accepted Brexit. But as shadow Brexit secretary, he worked to block Brexit 48 times.

“He and his newly appointed shadow Northern Ireland secretary called for a second referendum.

“In May, Starmer said Britain’s future is outside the European Union, but only two weeks ago he said he didn’t want to diverge from EU rules.

“That’s more flips flops than you’d see on a beach in Mallorca. And obviously you can buy some of those outside as well.”

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