James Cleverly turned to Oscar Wilde to take down Keir Starmer and it promptly blew up in his face

Tulip Siddiq’s resignation from Keir Starmer’s Cabinet makes it two ministers who have gone since Labour came into office last July.

Siddiq, the (now former) City and anti-corruption minister leaves after Louis Haigh quit as transport secretary last year, and former Home Secretary and failed Tory leadership wannabe James Cleverly saw an opportunity for a bit of Wildean wit.

Keir Starmer has had two ministers forced to resign in just six months.

To lose one minister, Mr. Starmer, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.

— James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) January 14, 2025

Oh yes, very good JC! If only it hadn’t immediately blown up in his face with basically every single person on the internet – we exaggerate slightly – replying like this.

1.

In 2022, Britain had three Conservative Prime Ministers and four different Chancellors of the Exchequer… https://t.co/HBGOIapNrd

— Otto English (@Otto_English) January 15, 2025

2.

Most are old enough to remember Sept 2022 to Nov 2022
To lose one prime minister, Mr. Cleverly, may be regarded as a cake misfortune; to lose two looks like incompetence .

— dave lawrence (@dave43law) January 15, 2025

3.

Boris Johnson had four ministers resign in his first six months.

Liz Truss lost three, including chancellor and Home Secretary, in six weeks.

Rishi Sunak lost four in his first seven months, including his party chairman and deputy PM. https://t.co/Uv7ewJzT2D

— Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) January 15, 2025

4.

James Cleverly held 9 ministerial positions under 3 PMs over 6 years.

To give Cleverly one ministerial position, may be regarded as misjudgment (or a practical joke), to give him 9 looks like he spiked them with rohypnol. https://t.co/yteR0nJNk2

— Skew Spew Barmy Hairdo Curmudgeon Bigot and Smug (@SkewSmug) January 15, 2025

5.

Really @JamesCleverly. Let’s review. Under Johnson’s second administration, he lost:

* 10 ministers between Feb 2020 and Nov 2020
* 5 ministers between Jan 2021 and Dec 2021
* 65 ministers/PPSs between Jan 2022 and Sep 2022 including the previous PM and the current leader of… https://t.co/1Mv0lKkx2I

— Andy Burge (@AndyGJBurge) January 15, 2025

6.

You lot go through 3 Prime Ministers in that time.

And you couldn’t beat Badenoch and Jenrick to the leadership job

— Jim Cognito (@JimCognito2016) January 14, 2025