Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has found himself in the midst of controversy after posting a video on Twitter to celebrate St George's Day, which inadvertently included images of iconic Scottish landmarks. The video, intended to mark the feast day of England's patron saint, featured footage from Scotland such as the Finnieston Crane and Buchanan Street in Glasgow.
Eagle-eyed viewers quickly identified these locations and began mocking Starmer for his mistake. Among those who spotted the blunder was Glasgow resident Fiona McAllister, who said: "I couldn't believe it when I saw Buchanan Street in a video meant for St George's Day! It just shows how out-of-touch some politicians can be with different parts of Britain."
In addition to showcasing footage from north of the border, Starmer wished everyone a happy St Andrew's Day – another error given that this is actually Scotland’s national day. He also discussed his recent visits across England as part of his local election campaign where he addressed challenges faced by communities regarding issues like crime rates, cost-of-living crisis and NHS service provision.
This gaffe prompted several Twitter users to call out the opposition leader for using Scottish examples while celebrating an English holiday. Jane Smith from London commented: "Starmer should really know better than mixing up two countries' traditions like this - especially if he wants people to take him seriously."
Despite being mocked online, some social media users came forward defending Starmer’s intentions behind creating awareness about community issues within both countries during their respective celebrations. Michael Johnson from Manchester stated: "Although there were mistakes made in this video presentation, I think we need more leaders addressing pressing concerns regardless which national day they're celebrating.”
Sir Keir Starmer has yet to respond directly regarding these criticisms or clarify whether any corrections will be made with respect to his original post celebrating St George's Day.