Labour has drawn criticism from within its own ranks for purchasing extensive advertising in The Sun newspaper to promote Keir Starmer’s policies.
Visitors to The Sun’s homepage were met with full-site takeover adverts featuring Starmer’s face, urging readers to “vote for change” and listing his “first steps.”
While the exact cost of the campaign won’t be known until after the election, industry experts estimate that such advertising typically runs into the tens of thousands of pounds.
Kim Johnson, standing for re-election as a Labour MP in Liverpool Riverside, criticized Starmer’s decision to engage with The Sun, a newspaper still widely boycotted in Merseyside due to its false reporting on the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster.
Johnson remarked that the city felt betrayed by The Sun, which she noted is referred to locally as “the Scum,” for blaming Liverpool fans “for what we now know was the fault of the South Yorkshire police.”
“When he was seeking support to be the leader of the Labour Party, Keir stood in my constituency and pledged that he would not write in the Scum newspaper.
“So 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 recognize just how deep the hurt runs in this city.”
Kim Johnson
During his 2020 leadership campaign, Starmer assured a Liverpool audience that he would boycott The Sun, stating, “This city has been wounded by the media – The Sun … I certainly won’t be giving an interview to The Sun during the course of this campaign.”
However, since becoming Labour leader, Starmer has adopted a more inclusive approach towards the newspaper. In 2021, he angered many Merseyside Labour MPs by writing an article for The Sun, and he has continued to make appearances in the paper.
This month, he has even agreed to a live interview on The Sun’s YouTube channel. Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting has also made efforts to engage with the outlet.
Labour’s relationship with The Sun has been complex. Under Tony Blair, the party embraced the Murdoch-owned paper, securing its endorsement for three consecutive elections. However, subsequent leaders have struggled with this relationship.
Ed Miliband apologized for endorsing The Sun’s World Cup special edition, acknowledging the anger it caused in Merseyside, while Jeremy Corbyn was openly critical of the newspaper.
Starmer’s Controversial Media Strategy
The Sun, which has supported the Conservatives in the last four elections, has yet to endorse a party in the current contest.
Within Labour leadership circles, there is a belief that winning The Sun’s support would signify a significant transformation of the party under Starmer, a perspective shared by his opponents.
It is not unusual for political parties to buy newspaper advertising during elections, although recent campaigns have tended to focus on local rather than national outlets.
Notably, there are no records of Labour spending money on advertising in The Sun in previous general elections.
Labour’s decision to buy advertising from News UK, The Sun’s parent company, is particularly notable given Starmer’s history with the organization.
As director of public prosecutions, he was responsible for prosecuting several Sun journalists during the phone-hacking scandal.
With increased spending limits for this election, Labour is undertaking strategies previously beyond its financial reach.
The party recently purchased a full-page advert in the Conservative-supporting Mail on Sunday, directed at “the pensioners of Britain” from Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall.
The move to advertise in The Sun marks a significant shift for Labour, reflecting Starmer’s broader media strategy.
However, it has also reignited longstanding tensions within the party and its support base, particularly in areas like Merseyside where past media coverage has left deep scars.
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