During a routine visit to Welland Academy in Peterborough, Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined first-grade students for lunch, an event that quickly became the focus of attention due to his participation in a popular viral gesture. The gesture, which involves a specific hand movement often associated with a trending social media challenge, was widely circulated online in recent weeks. As Starmer engaged with the children, his actions were captured on camera and rapidly shared across platforms, drawing both admiration and scrutiny.
When school staff later informed Starmer that the gesture had been explicitly prohibited at the school, he responded with a light-hearted apology, quipping, ‘I didn’t start it, Miss.’ The phrase, which was reportedly said to a teacher or staff member, added a humorous undertone to the incident, diffusing what could have been a more awkward or tense moment. His reaction was met with mixed reactions from the public, with many finding the situation endearing while others questioned the appropriateness of the gesture in a school setting.
Starmer’s engagement with the students underscored his efforts to connect with the younger generation and reinforce the importance of education. However, the incident also highlighted the potential challenges of navigating viral trends in professional and public settings. While the Prime Minister’s actions were meant to be lighthearted and inclusive, they also sparked discussions about the boundaries of such gestures in formal environments. The event serves as a reminder of how social media can shape public perception and the unexpected ways in which politicians might find themselves involved in cultural phenomena.