Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of “petty” behaviour after it emerged that he had a portrait of Margaret Thatcher removed from Downing Street.
According to his biographer, the Prime Minister is said to have found the painting of the former Conservative leader “unsettling.”
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The picture of Ms Thatcher was commissioned by Gordon Brown in 2007 when she visited him for tea at No 10, a few months into his premiership.
It was painted by royal artist Richard Stone, with an anonymous donor stumping up the £100,000 cost.
When it was unveiled in 2009, it was hung in the former No10 study, unofficially known as the Thatcher Room, which, at the time, was used by Mr Brown for meetings with foreign dignitaries
(Image: Graham Wiltshire/Shutterstock)
Speaking at an event organised by Glasgow’s Aye Write book festival, Tom Baldwin said he was recently taken to the room by the Labour leader.
He said Sir Keir described the study as a “place where we can go and have a quiet talk.”
“We sat there, and I go, ‘It’s a bit unsettling with her staring down as you like that, isn’t it’?” Mr Badlwin said.
He said the Prime Minister replied, with a “Yeah.”
Mr Baldwin then asked if he would "get rid of it.”
The writer said Sir Keir nodded, adding “And he has.”
It was the first painting of a former Prime Minister ever to be commissioned by No 10.
When it was unveiled, Mr Stone said he believed it would “remain in Downing Street forever.”
The three hopefuls for the Scottish Tory leadership race hit out at the Prime Minister.
Russell Findlay said: “Gordon Brown commissioned this portrait after calling the first female Prime Minister ‘a conviction politician who saw the need for change’.
“I agree with Gordon Brown’s reasonable position to treat his political opponents with decency and respect.
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“Keir Starmer seems to have a much more petty approach.”
Murdo Fraser said: "It is disappointing to see a portrait of our first female Prime Minister being removed from display by the new Labour Prime Minister.
“It seems like a churlish move, but perhaps Sir Keir Starmer was intimidated by the gaze of a world-renowned leader whose achievements he will never come close to matching."
Meghan Gallacher said: "It's disgraceful that Keir Starmer would remove a picture of Britain's first female Prime Minister.
"Regardless of your opinions on Margaret Thatcher, she paved the way for women in politics and tackled sexist stereotypes head on.
"She's an inspiration for many, a defining figure in British politics and she deserves to be recognised for her many achievements.
"Her legacy should be honoured, the portrait should be returned."
No 10 declined to comment.
There was anger from some in Labour at the time of the commission, with one anonymous MP telling the Mail on Sunday: “Maggie Thatcher is the devil incarnate to many of our supporters who remember how she destroyed the unions and put our people on the dole. Gordon Brown may have forgotten that. Some of us haven't.”
Sir Keir has previously praised Baroness Thatcher.
Last December, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, the Labour leader said Thatcher had “set loose our natural entrepreneurialism” during her time as prime minister.”
“Across Britain, there are people who feel disillusioned, frustrated, angry, worried. Many of them have always voted Conservative but feel that their party has left them,” he said.
“I understand that. I saw that with my own party and acted to fix it. But I also understand that many will still be uncertain about Labour. I ask them to take a look at us again.”
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