Politics Keir Starmer

This MP’s Keir Starmer heckle is surely the funniest thing to have happened during a state opening of parliament

John Plunkett. Updated May 13th, 2026

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Politics took a brief break from the Keir Starmer psychodrama today for the King’s Speech and the state opening of parliament (you remember, the thing when Black Rod bangs on the door and all that).

And today’s state opening of parliament was memorable not for anything the King subsequently said but because of this particular and most unexpected intervention from a backbench MP, believed to be Torcuil Crichton, Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar in Scotland.

Deserved a lot more than it got, frankly.

And in the unlikely event you’re still wondering, it’s a reference to ‘king of the north’ Andy Burnham and his need to become an MP again before he can challenge Keir Starmer for the parliamentary crown.

But it got no end of love over on Twitter, and quite right too.

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To conclude …

Source @ArchRose90