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Labour candidate criticises Starmer over Sun advert

BBC Kim Johnson BBC
Kim Johnson said people would be left feeling "very disappointed"

A Merseyside Labour candidate has criticised Sir Keir Starmer for placing an advert on the website of The Sun newspaper.

The advert appeared on the paper's homepage on Monday and featured an image of the Labour leader with a campaign message urging readers to "vote for change".

Kim Johnson said the decision to pay The Sun would have left her constituents feeling "very disappointed".

The Sun is widely boycotted on Merseyside following criticism of its reporting of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. Labour has not responded to requests for a comment.

PA Media Sir Keir Starmer PA Media
Sir Keir has maintained he wanted to communicate with as many people as possible

However, speaking previously, Sir Keir said he understood the reason the newspaper was boycotted, but added: "For Liverpool, for the whole of the North West, the single-most important thing that I can do is to ensure we get a change of government."

Ms Johnson, who is standing again for the Liverpool Riverside seat, told the Guardian newspaper: "Myself, Riverside residents and the whole city will now be very disappointed that he has broken his promise to boycott.

"By U-turning on this pledge, he fails to recognise just how deep the hurt runs in this city.”

A spokesperson for Ms Johnson confirmed her comments made to the Guardian.

During his successful bid to become Labour leader in 2020, Sir Keir said during a debate hosted in Liverpool that he would not write The Sun during the course of that campaign.

Since becoming leader of the opposition, however, the former prosecutor has written editorials for The Sun and given interviews.

'Make sure'

In 2023, Sir Keir was asked about his decision to write for and give interviews to the Sun, telling reporters: "I have to make sure that what we have to say is communicated to as many people as possible in the time that we've got available and that is why I am very happy to work with The Sun, to write for The Sun, to do interviews with The Sun."

In 2016, a second set of inquests into the Hillsborough deaths concluded that the victims had been unlawfully killed and supporters had not caused the disaster.

The Sun apologised in 2012 for wrongly blaming fans for causing the stadium crush, which led to the deaths of 97 people.

Also standing for Liverpool Riverside in the general election are:

  • Jane Austin - Conservatives
  • Rebecca Turner - Liberal Democrats
  • Roger Bannister - TUSC
  • Christopher Coughlan - Green Party
  • Gary Hincks - Reform
  • Stephen McNally - National Health Action Party
  • Sean Weaver - Liberal Party

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