'Boring' Keir fails to inspire

SIR Keir Starmer hopes this week's Labour conference will "put to bed" lingering doubts about his leadership amid warnings voters find him "boring" and "indecisive".

- Jonathan Walker

He said the party must "step up another gear" as jubilant MPs and activists gather in Liverpool after their win in Thursday's Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

A new patriotic membership card will be unveiled today with the slogan "putting the country first".

"Labour is a proudly patriotic party," a spokesperson said.

It's all part of a bid to underline changes made since Jeremy Corbyn quit as leader in 2020.

But his replacement has yet to resonate with voters.

A Sunday Express survey by WeThink shows 57 per cent regard Starmer as "uninspiring". Only 38 per cent say he is "inspiring". Others are neutral or don't know.

Tory attempts to portray the Labour leader as a "flip-flopper" have also struck home - 51 per cent of voters saying he is "indecisive" while 44 per cent disagree.

It comes after he ditched plans to bring energy utilities into "common ownership" and insisted that he is committed to Brexit despite having backed a second referendum.

Almost half of voters - 48 per cent also regard him as "untrustworthy", with 47 per cent taking the opposite view.