Starmer And Sunak Put On An Unusually Chummy Display At State Opening Of Parliament

It's a far cry from the frosty walk Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson did back in 2019.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, and former Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition Rishi Sunak chatted away on their way to the Lords for the King's Speech.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, right, and former Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition Rishi Sunak chatted away on their way to the Lords for the King's Speech.
via Associated Press

Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak seemed remarkably friendly with one another at today’s State Opening of Parliament.

Starmer, the new prime minister, walked side-by-side with the leader of the opposition throughout the occasion, less than a fortnight after ousting Sunak from his job in No.10 Downing Street.

The PM is always expected to walk with their opposite number from the Commons to the House of Lords on the day of the State Opening as a formality, and then stand together by the doors of the chamber to hear the King’s Speech.

But Starmer and Sunak looked especially animated as they chatted away – and plenty of people noticed on social media.

Of course, both men would have been aware their every move was being filmed during their walk.

It is procedure for MPs to “talk loudly” during this ceremonial moment to show their independence from the upper house.

Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak having a very congenial chat. Get the lip readers out! #KingsSpeech

— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 17, 2024

And, despite their awkward job swap, the two men chatted enthusiastically in the Commons after heading to the Lords, too.

Even Deputy PM Angela Rayner and deputy Tory leader Oliver Dowden followed suit, and were filmed smiling and chatting away.

Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak have an upbeat-looking chat in the Commons after the King's Speech

Joined after by Oliver Dowden and Angela Rayner pic.twitter.com/teXK9kk7AE

— Lucy McDaid (@LucyJMcDaid) July 17, 2024

The politicians’ friendliness will come as a surprise to some political pundits after the vicious fighting between the party leaders during the election campaign – particularly during their televised debates.

Electoral rivalries have not always changed into niceties when campaigns finish, either – Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson had a famously frosty walk back in 2019.

Then-PM Johnson had just secured a landslide victory in the general election, while Corbyn’s Labour took the lowest number of seats since 1935.

Ex-PM Boris Johnson, left, and then Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn, at the state opening of parliament 2019
Ex-PM Boris Johnson, left, and then Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn, at the state opening of parliament 2019
via Associated Press
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