Politics

Starmer Personally Texted Owen Jones Complaining About His Critical Tweets and Columns

Zeteo · The ‘Hellfire’ Awaiting Andy Burnham at 10 Downing Street · July 6, 2026

Zeteo

The ‘Hellfire’ Awaiting Andy Burnham at 10 Downing Street

"He used to text me, you know, he used to literally text me with these extremely thin-skinned not just about my Guardian columns but about like tweets. I just thought to myself, he was Leader of the Opposition at the time, reading your tweets, getting upset."

Owen Jones reveals that Keir Starmer directly messaged him multiple times as Leader of the Opposition to complain about Jones's criticism, including tweets. Jones describes Starmer as "thin-skinned" and recounts Starmer saying "you are better than this" in one exchange. Jones also claims Starmer promised him there would be no purge of the left, calling it about "taking on antisemitism," before launching what Jones terms "the biggest assault on the Labour left in the history of the Labour Party."

About this episode

Mehdi Hasan and Owen Jones launch Zeteo UK's flagship podcast by dissecting the resignation of Keir Starmer, Britain's shortest-serving Labour Prime Minister in recent memory and the seventh UK leader in a decade. Jones argues Starmer's downfall stems from a toxic combination: lying to win the Labour leadership by posing as a progressive, then governing without vision while attacking vulnerable groups and facilitating what both hosts call genocide in Gaza. Polling shows 62% of Britons supported Starmer's resignation, with only 2% calling him a great Prime Minister. Jones reveals Starmer personally texted him to complain about critical tweets and columns, displaying what Jones describes as extreme thin-skinnedness. The hosts criticize BBC and mainstream UK media for systematically omitting Gaza from Starmer obituaries, with Jones accusing outlets of complicity in Israeli actions. They note polling data showing Gaza was the top issue for Labour voters who defected to left-leaning parties. The conversation shifts to Andy Burnham, the likely next Prime Minister, with both hosts expressing cautious skepticism. While Burnham called for a Gaza ceasefire in late 2023 when few politicians would, Jones worries he lacks the backbone and clear vision needed to withstand pressure from Labour's right wing, markets, and billionaire-funded media. They debate whether any center-left leader can survive in Britain's current political climate, with Hasan warning against leftist cynicism that views all politicians as equally bad. The episode examines potential cabinet appointments, particularly whether Ed Miliband as Chancellor could challenge Treasury orthodoxy, and questions whether Burnham can stem Labour losses to Greens while countering Nigel Farage's Reform UK more effectively than the charisma-free Starmer.

Key takeaways

Owen Jones reveals Keir Starmer personally texted him multiple times to complain about critical tweets and Guardian columns, displaying extreme sensitivity to criticism as Opposition Leader.
Jones accuses BBC and UK mainstream media of systematic complicity in Gaza genocide by completely omitting Starmer's Israel stance from his political obituaries despite polling showing it drove Labour voter defection.
Polling indicates 62% of Britons supported Starmer's resignation with only 2% rating him a great Prime Minister after he became Britain's seventh leader in a decade.
Jones argues Starmer's downfall resulted from lying to win Labour leadership as a progressive, then governing without vision while attacking pensioners, disabled people, and migrants while defending Israeli actions.
Andy Burnham is set to become Prime Minister without a contest, but Jones worries he lacks the backbone and clear ideological vision needed to withstand pressure from Labour's right wing and billionaire media.
Burnham was one of two major UK mayors to call for Gaza ceasefire in late 2023 when few politicians would, suggesting potential difference from Starmer on Middle East policy.
Jones and Hasan debate whether Ed Miliband as Chancellor could challenge Treasury orthodoxy and whether any center-left leader can survive Britain's current political climate without being destroyed by coordinated opposition.