Starmer's Thatcher Portrait Move Sparks Backlash

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's decision to remove a portrait of Margaret Thatcher from her former study in Downing Street has provoked a strong backlash from Conservatives. The painting, which Starmer's biographer Tom Baldwin said the Prime Minister found 'unsettling,' was moved shortly after Starmer took office. Critics, including Boris Johnson, Priti Patel, and Jacob Rees-Mogg, have labeled the move 'petty' and 'vindictive,' arguing it contradicts Starmer's previous praise of Thatcher. However, Labour minister Jacqui Smith defended the decision, emphasizing that the portrait remains in another part of No. 10 and stating that Starmer 'can't win' with critics from both sides. The controversy has dominated right-leaning media, with some Conservatives suggesting it reflects Starmer's true political leanings and priorities.