Jeremy Clarkson has never been one to hold back his opinions, but this time he’s really gone for it. The former Top Gear presenter has claimed he’d rather Vladimir Putin be in charge of the UK than Keir Starmer—because apparently, democracy is overrated when you’re a middle-aged man with a farm and a grudge.
Clarkson’s latest outburst: ‘Anyone but Starmer’
In his column for The Sunday Times, Clarkson didn’t just slag off the Prime Minister—he effectively said he’d welcome a foreign dictator with open arms.
“Right now, I’d do nothing to stop an invasion because, apart from that DRC child slavery enthusiast, Bosco Ntaganda, I’d take any world leader over the imbecile we have now,” he wrote.
And, just to really hammer the point home, he added:
“Trump, Meloni, even Putin: I’d welcome any one of them with open arms.”
Yes, that’s Trump, who tried to overturn an election. Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s far-right Prime Minister. And Putin, who… well, we all know what he’s been up to.
Why is Clarkson ranting this time?
His outburst comes in response to a survey by The Times and YouGov which found that less than half of Gen Z are proud to be British. This, of course, sent Clarkson into a tailspin.
“41 per cent [of Gen Z] would not fight to protect our way of life. And … actually, I’m with them on this one. I wouldn’t either,” he admitted.
So, just to be clear—he’s furious that young people aren’t feeling patriotic enough, but he also wouldn’t defend the UK himself? Makes sense.
Starmer is banned from Clarkson’s pub
If you were hoping for a pint at Clarkson’s Cotswold boozer, don’t bring Keir Starmer along. The TV personality proudly declared that the PM is banned from his pub—and was, in fact, the very first person on the blacklist.
“He’s banned. Actually, he’s the first person to be banned. He’s actually on a board in the hall, he’s banned,” Clarkson told Times Radio.
Clarkson vs Starmer: A long-standing grudge
Clarkson has never been a fan of Starmer, particularly when it comes to farming policies. The presenter-turned-farmer has previously accused the Labour leader of failing to support British agriculture.
He’s also taken issue with Starmer’s smoking ban, branding him “deluded” for wanting to phase out cigarette sales. According to Clarkson, a bit of common sense is all that’s needed.
“In my mind, that’s how a society should work. Assume that the vast majority of people are intelligent and compassionate and let them get on with it,” he wrote.
Yes, because trusting people to always do the right thing has worked so well throughout history…
Clarkson’s world: where Putin is preferable and Starmer isn’t welcome
In Clarkson’s universe, the UK would apparently be better off with a strongman leader rather than, you know, an elected Prime Minister. And if that seems a bit extreme, well, that’s just another Sunday in the world of Jeremy Clarkson.
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