Starmer moves Margaret Thatcher portrait from her former study

Former Tory Cabinet minister Sir John Whittingdale, who served as Lady Thatcher’s political secretary, said it was right for the former PM to be commemorated in the room that “was so much associated with her”.

“‘To [move the portrait] quite so quickly… it looks like playing to the Left, who do not share most people’s admiration of her and he’s probably appeasing his left-wing backbenchers,” he told the Daily Mail, external.

“But most people would recognise her importance to this country’s history and it is right that she is remembered for that.”

Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith called the move “petty”.

Former first minister of Northern Ireland and DUP leader Baroness Arlene Foster said Lady Thatcher – the UK’s first female prime minister – was “the most significant PM after Churchill”.

She added: “Not a good start from Labour, looks and feels vindictive and petty.”

However, Labour Education Minister Jacqui Smith defended the PM, telling LBC: “Keir Starmer, can’t win, can he? A few months ago, people were having a go at him because he said he thought he could learn from the leadership of Margaret Thatcher.

“Pictures of Margaret Thatcher will remain in No 10.”

She added: “I think probably Keir Starmer is more concerned about actually sort of cracking on with the job of getting the country to work properly than where the pictures are.”