The man behind a viral petition demanding a General Election has revealed why he started – as it clocks over more than 2.5million signatures.
Pub landlord Michael Westwood said he decided to launch the petition having seen Keir Starmer and his MPs go back on their manifesto promises and repeatedly talk down the prospects for the country.
The poorly received budget from Rachel Reeves that saw employers hit with an increase in national insurance tax was a key factor in his decision to launch the petition.
The chance for a political do-over has way surpassed the 100,000 signature threshold it needs to be debated in the House of Commons.
As many as 400,000 people a day are backing the landlord’s call for a new election, illuminating the depth of anger the public have with the Prime Minister and his Government.
A new MailOnline map allows you to see exactly how many people in your area desire a second vote, just months after Sir Keir reigned victorious on July 4.
For example, more than 5,600 people have signed in South Shropshire, making up more than 5 per cent of the area’s population.
‘Fed-up’ Michael said: ‘I just thought they were being so negative all the time. They were putting the fear of God into people that everything was so bad. They had also gone back on their manifesto promises.
Pub landlord Michael Westwood (pictured) said he decided to launch the petition having seen Keir Starmer and his MPs go back on their manifesto promises
Michael said that more than 400,000 people a day backing his call for a new election showed the depth of anger the public have with Starmer and his Government
The viral petition has so far received more than 2.5 million signatures
‘I was just frustrated at what I was seeing and hearing it all the time and it really annoyed me.
‘I just typed into Google ‘how to change the Prime Minister’ and it came back with start a petition. So that’s what I did.’
Michael, who runs three pubs in the West Midlands, said he has been ‘staggered’ by the support for the petition but said he is far from political.
‘I’m not political at all but just very patriotic and I didn’t like the way they were talking down the country.
‘It’s a great place to live, or was. We shall see how it is in a couple of years while Labour are running it.’
He admits to voting Conservative at the July election but said: ‘I am not trying to force my opinion on anyone. All I wanted to say is if you agree with me then sign the petition.
‘There are a lot of people in this country who can’t be bothered with politics, but with so many signing the petition it shows they are unhappy with the way things have been going.’
Now the petition has passed the threshold to be heard in the Commons, father-of-two Michael said doubts Starmer will turn up to hear people discussing his job.
‘He is too arrogant and I can’t see him debating about his job, but what the petition shows is that there is a lot of people who are unhappy with the way things have gone,’ he said.
‘Not just those who did not vote for him, but lots of Labour voters as well.
The petition on the Parliament website complains that Keir Starmer (pictured watching Arsenal play on Saturday) has ‘gone back on promises’
Michael, who runs three pubs in the West Midlands, said he has been ‘staggered’ by the support for the petition but said he is far from political
‘Since they won the election all they have done is talk down the country and they have not been truthful.
‘They said their manifesto was fully costed and then there is a £22bn black hole.
‘They just said what people wanted to hear to get the votes and now they are doing what they want. They have not been truthful and they should have been more transparent.
‘Reeves said there was a £22bn black hole in the finances which is doubtful, and then all the union members get pay rises. They just have not told the truth to the public.’
Michael runs a beer distribution company that he founded 11 years ago and is the leaseholder of three pubs, including the Waggon and Horses in Oldbury, West Midlands.
It has been described as Britain’s cheapest pub with a pint costing £2.30 but there is no mistaking its loyalty to the King and Country.
A Union Jack and Cross of St George adorn an upstairs pool room while a commemorative banner for the 80th anniversary of D-Day takes pride of place in the small bar.
As a small business owner Michael will be impacted by the increase in employer’s national insurance by 1.25 per cent. He was also unhappy about other unpopular Labour government policies like the scrapping of the winter fuel allowance for some pensioners, increasing capital gains tax and the introduction of VAT on private school fees.
Michael said that Starmer got off to a bad start when he became embroiled in the freebie row when it emerged that he attended a Taylor Swift concert at Wembley and used labour donor Lord Alli’s £18 million Covent Garden penthouse when his son was studying for his GCSEs.
Michael has 15 people working at his pubs and beer distribution company and the national insurance rise for employers will hit him hard.
‘My accountant is still working how much more I will be paying, but as we are hearing from other businesses the increase will mean fewer jobs and that is hardly good for growth,’ he said.
The poorly received budget from Rachel Reeves (pictured) that saw employers hit with an increase in national insurance tax was a key factor in Michael’s decision to launch the petition
The petition has passed the 100,000 signature threshold to be debated in the House of Commons
‘It is just going to make it harder for small businesses and there will come a time when many just say ‘I’ve had enough’ and call it a day.’
Asked if Starmer would be welcome at his pubs he hesitates before saying: ‘I’d like to sit down with him and hear him explain himself.
‘He told the public he was going to do one thing and then when he’s in power he’s doing the opposite.
‘My main worry is for my two daughters and what the future holds for them.’
Michael said when he launched the petition on November 20 he expected just to get a few dozen signatures.
But within hours it had taken off – with even Twitter/X owner Elon Musk commenting on it.
‘I’m not on any social media so had no real idea how widely it was being talked about. It really is amazing that so many people have signed with tens of thousands every day.
‘Never in my wildest dreams did I expect it to get over 2million. It just goes to show that people are not happy.’
Michael added: ‘Labour’s strategy was to say whatever we want to get into power. It will be two years of doom and gloom, saying how bad a shape the Tories left the country in and the following two years it will be about Labour saying they are getting things back on track. Then in the final year before an election there will be tax cuts and all kinds of stuff to show how well they have done. Its all about staying in power.’
Michale said he voted Conservative as it was ‘better the devil you know’ but admits they had failed to live up to their promises and it was no surprise they lost.
He said the economy and immigration will be the two policies that will dominate the coming months.
