Starmer's 'Biden moment' as PM calls Israeli hostages 'sausages' during Labour party conference speech

24 September 2024, 15:03 | Updated: 24 September 2024, 15:22

The Prime Minister has referred to Israeli hostages as "sausages" in an unfortunate slip-up during his keynote speech at the Labour party conference.

Sir Keir Starmer called for the "return of the sausages" during the address on Tuesday afternoon, as the PM demanded the return of Israeli hostages by Hamas amid ongoing unrest in the Middle East.

It's a misspeak that saw many label it a 'Biden moment', with parallels drawn between the PM and his US counterpart, President Joe Biden.

Recent months have seen President Biden - or 'Sleepy Joe' as he was labelled by rival Donald Trump - engage in a series of slip-ups that led many to question the health of the US leader.

It's a faux pas that set the internet alike, with memes and reactions emerging on social media with in moments of the error.

Keir Starmer's Joe Biden moment

The unfortunate slip of the tongue took place as the PM addressed the conference hall in Liverpool on Tuesday on the third day of the Labour conference.

The PM had been addressing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East when he demanded the return of the "sausages", correcting it to "hostages" moments later.

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The Prime Minister said: "I call again for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the return of the sausages... the hostages, and a recommitment to the two-state solution, a recognised Palestine and a safe and secure Israel.”

Moments after the blunder, one X user wrote: "You might've dropped a clanger at work but have you ever called for the return of the sausages from Hamas during the keynote speech of your govt's party conference?"

One user, @thesundaysport, said: "Do I need to have seen the first film for Return of the Sausages to make sense?"

While another X user adopted a Star Wars theme, writing: "Star Wars: Return of the Sausages"

A fellow social media user, @dj_audiostatic, wrote: "Sausages in Gaza - because nothing says "peace in the Middle East" like a good old British banger."

While user @robspitzy wrote: "sausages better be kosher" following the blunder.

Elsewhere in the speech, the the Prime Minister has hit back at criticism levelled at the Labour Party in recent weeks calling attacks ‘water off a duck’s back’.

"In a major speech at the Labour conference today, Sir Keir Starmer criticised people who "still hanker" for the "weak and cowardly fantasy of populism”.

He said: “The bad faith advice from people who still hanker after the politics of the people before me, the weak and tawdry fantasy of populism, it’s water off a duck’s back. Mere glitter on a shirt cuff.”

The remark was a reference to his speech last year where he was showered with glitter on stage by a protester.

Sir Keir also vowed to "build a better Britain" and clear out 14 years of "Tory rot" in his first conference speech as Prime Minister.

The Labour leader told the packed auditorium in Liverpool: “Brick by brick we can build a new home, a better home, built to last.

"Built with pride but above all built together. Make no mistake, that is the Britain we are building."

It comes as Defence Secretary John Healey returned to London from the conference to hold an emergency Cobra meeting on Tuesday.

Airstrikes by Israel on Lebanon over the weekend killed at least 558 people and injured more than 1,835 others.

The deadly air strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon come amid claims Israel began dropping leaflets with a "very dangerous" barcode according to Hezbollah's media office.