Oops, it happened again. Keir Starmer & hecklers
On Thursday morning (6th July) Keir Starmer was launching Labour’s policy on oracy- the importance of speaking clearly and communicating. He may not be the best example but as a policy its something to be supported.
During the speech several hecklers from a climate change campaign appeared near on him on the platform. Instead of engaging with them, he said he would speak to them afterwards (he didn’t). That was unfortunate because the hecklers were actually demonstrating what Starmer himself was trying to promote.
Starmer has little experience of the rough and tumble of public speaking and he is far from alone in the current political class. He has a way to go before he can match the master of the post-1945 response to political heckling Harold Wilson and may never get there
Harold Wilson, Birmingham,1966
Wilson was talking about his public expenditure plans when a heckler cried, “What about Vietnam?” – the burning issue of the day. “The government has no plans to increase public expenditure in Vietnam,” rejoined Wilson. Heckler: “Rubbish!” Wilson: “I’ll come to your special interest in a minute, sir.”
The key to it is both an immediate response, but also a witty one that demeans the heckler.
I’m no great fan of either man, but in a democracy, both heckling and responses to it have a role to play
Reminds me of a friend who was canvassing, for Labour, in some council elections several years ago. When the canassee asked “what is your opinion on the death penalty”, my friend returned with “I’m against it at County Council level”
Gill