The one reason Keir Starmer should be absolutely petrified as 2m sign that petition

I have to admit that ‘The Petition’ – as it is now simply known in my house – has become a .

Just months on from Labour’s sweeping General Election victory, the online appeal for signatures calling for a rerun has now reached epic proportions. At my last check, more than – 3% of the population so far and it’s quickly growing.

The petition was started by who, at the weekend, voiced his anger at what he sees a “betrayal” of the British electorate. Mr Westwood’s description of the petition, carried on the Government’s website, says: “I believe the current Labour Government have gone back on the promises they laid out in the lead up to the last election.”

And it’s not just me at it, so to speak. A number of MPs and high profile political commentators have also been furiously sharing it as it reaches each milestone.

I mean, heck, even Michael Caine has now got in on the action. My phone has been buzzing with people asking friends and family to pop their name on the list – and interestingly it’s not just those pals who are political. It’s everywhere.

I – as a Conservative councillor – have, of course, added my name. But could it be that such a petition will actually be taken any notice of?

Will we see on the steps of Downing Street, gracefully acknowledging the viral list of names and standing down? Well, of course bloody not. But that does not mean that he should not be very concerned about it nonetheless.

It’s shocking to me – I can assure you – that this morning I actually found myself agreeing with lefty Carol Vorderman. She’d reminded her followers about the ill-fated ‘reverse ’ petition that gained more than 6 million signatures.

As a Brexiteer I can remember at the time simply scoffing at it. I had a bit of a snigger at the desperation of the left to reverse the will of the people.

I can’t recall there being any proper acknowledgment of it by the government at the time either – and rightly so. Given how close the final result was, it was merely an outlet for all those who didn’t get their own way. There was a referendum and despite the ridiculous pandering and fannying about, it had to be delivered.

This morning Keir batted this new petition away on national TV. Following a similar tack as Vorderman he cited that we live in a democracy. (Interesting titbit is that he also shared that he and his family had been locked up in an ‘escape room’ over the weekend to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. I bet he wishes he was still there…).

But although there’ll definitely be no action taken, what is astonishing is that when Labour should still be enjoying a honeymoon period that the rage fuelling it has mounted so alarmingly quickly.

There’s so much to be angry at. People feel like not only have promises been broken, but that they have been totally lied to: from the snatching of the winter fuel allowance to the new farmers’ tax to the businesses that are going to be absolutely walloped by National Insurance.

I live in a former blue wall area that was smashed down by Labour at the last General Election. But, believe me, those MPs who have lost their seats are not resting on their laurels.

In my constituency the Conservative MP lost by an absolute slither – of just 214 votes. I’d bet my house on the fact that many of that tiny majority will have now also added their names to the list – and for that reason Starmer should be very concerned indeed.