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Voters furious with Rishi Sunak for quitting D-Day commemorations early – but poll has bad news for Keir Starmer too
Our focus group also revealed who voters were most likely to buy a second-hand car from
VOTERS are furious with Rishi Sunak over his D-Day dash but don’t fully trust “smug” Sir Keir Starmer, a focus group reveals.
Our group of seven all backed Boris Johnson in 2019 but said they are now exploring voting for the Conservatives, Labour or Nigel Farage’s Reform.
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They were quizzed over their views on the two party leaders and their plans by the polling firm More In Common.
The group also sounded off on the PM returning early from Normandy for an interview with ITV News last Thursday.
Pensioner Priscilla blasted Sunak for leaving France early, adding it was disrespectful to veterans and heads of state like Joe Biden.
She went on: “He disappeared off just to give a television interview about finances.
“D-Day we’ve known for 80 years – it wasn’t as if he was surprised by it.
“He needed to be there. It wasn’t Prime Ministerial. I think he really let himself down.”
Asked if she accepted his grovelling apology on Friday, the retiree said: “I think he’s quite an honest man, but he shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”
Customer service manager Kellie added: “I actually think it was quite disrespectful if I’m honest.
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“And if he was advised to do that, he should have probably said no.”
But turning the jets on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, retiree Kevin fumed: “I’ve got nothing positive to say whatsoever.
“We’re talking about a man who can’t even tell you what a woman is...I just don’t think he’s prime minister material.”
Customer service worker Jim, who said he was veering towards Labour, said he wanted to hear more about Sir Keir’s plans before committing his vote.
He added: “I don’t particularly love him, but I don’t particularly hate him.
“I’ll give him a chance but I’m not 100 per cent certain.”
But engineer Greg branded him “smug”, adding: "He strikes me as the annoying kid at school.
"I can't get past it. I don't even want to listen to what policies he's got."
Priscilla said she feared Starmer would bow to the wishes of “very tough” second-in-command Angela Rayner, adding: “Is he going to change his mind all the time depending on who he talked to last?”
NHS administrator Jane added: “He makes an awful lot of noise. He’s too busy doing point-scoring against Rishi because he clearly wants his job.
“But he’s so busy sniping and picking up issues and faults that he’s not being proactive and actually telling us what he would change or how he would change it.
“If he was to give us a bit more information about that, I’d hold him in a better light.”
Some of the group added recently-returned Reform leader Nigel Farage - who will stand as an MP for an eighth time next month - could sway them to switch from the Tories.
Nail technician Charlotte said the firebrand's appearance on I'm A Celebrity had "changed" her opinion.
She added: "I think he did say things that aren't always popular.
"Let's be fair, he does say what most people want to say, without really giving a toot about it."
But Jane contested: "I find him quite slimy and creepy. I just think no, it's not for me."
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Asked who they would buy a second-hand car from, five said Sunak, while one each said Sir Keir and Farage.
Greg joked: “Nigel’s car has a bit of sawdust in the gearbox, Keir’s has got a dodgy MOT. And so the only one I am left with is Rishi, unfortunately.”