Keir Starmer breaks silence after calling hostages ‘SAUSAGES’ in awkward gaffe during conference speech
SIR Keir Starmer last night laughed off his conference sausage gaffe as he addressed it for the first time.
The PM was grilled about why he said “free the sausages” instead of Israeli “hostages” during his speech in Liverpool at the Labour conference.
Asked if he had been hungry, Sir Keir said: “I just mangled the beginning of the word. Have you never done that?”
He told journalists: “These things are there to give you an opportunity to rib me.”
In the sizzling gaffe, veggie Sir Keir had said: “I call again for restraint and de-escalation between Lebanon and Israel.
“I call again for all parties to pull back from the brink.
“I call again for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the return of the sausages… the hostages, and a re-commitment to the two-state solution, a recognised Palestine and a safe and secure Israel.”
The blunder will add to a long line of slip-ups to plague politicians during conference speeches.
Former Welsh Tory leader Andrew Davies attempted to emulate Theresa May’s famous platitude of “Brexit means Brexit and we’re going to make a success of it” back in 2016.
But he confused Britain’s withdrawal from the EU with the most important meal of the day.
He told his party conference: “Mark my words. We will make breakfast, Brexit, a success.”
Footage of the gaffe quickly went viral on social media.
And Ed Miliband notoriously forgot to mention the deficit during one of his keynotes as Labour leader.
TRUMP MEETING
It comes as Sir Keir spoke during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in New York City yesterday.
He also met former US President Donald Trump for a two-hour dinner while he’s in the US.
It is the first time the pair have met, and they were joined by Foreign Secretary David Lammy for the coming together at Trump Tower.
The PM said it was “good” he had the opportunity to meet the Republican hopeful and it was “really to establish a relationship”.
Prior to the meeting, Trump had called Sir Keir “popular” during a press conference at his NYC skyscraper.
Asked on his thoughts of the Labour chief, he said: “Well, I’m going to see him in about an hour, so I have to be nice, right?
“But I actually think he’s very nice. I think he ran a great race. He did very well. It’s very early, but he’s popular, and I’ll be seeing him.”
Speech that sets the tone for Labour's first chapter
By Ryan Sabey, Deputy Political Editor
Sir Keir Starmer has endured a torrid few weeks in the job he has craved.
This was a reset moment that – for an hour or so at least – he could put the troubles of freebiegate and Sue Gray’s salary behind him.
It was a greatest hits run out that will please many of those who voted for him for the first time.
Stronger borders as a priority and fixing the foundations of the economy are essential for the long-term benefit of the country.
But there may be some anger among Labour ranks when he spoke of plugging the £22 billion black hole.
It won’t just fall on the shoulders of the better off in society as this is a “shared struggle”, he said.
He even said – to coin a phrase – that “we are all in it together”.
The decision to axe winter fuel allowance for millions of pensioners is just one decision he didn’t shy away from.
That brought about a few groans in the hall as ex-Tory Chancellor George Osborne echoed this phrase during the austerity years.
A crackdown on benefits and the welfare bill will be unveiled at the Budget and it won’t be pretty.
This speech was setting the tone for the first phase of this Labour government.
Short-term pain for long-term gain.
Folks, it’s time to buckle up.