Is Keir Starmer autistic? His public persona (or lack of), complete lack of interpersonal skills, awkwardness with the general public, obsessively technocratic mode of governance and general robotic demeanour might lead some to conclude so. Not for nothing did his political arch-antithesis Boris Johnson once dub him a “pointless human bollard” – although some may dispute the egregiously overgenerous use of the word “human” there.
Myself, I think the comparison is unfair on autistic people; unlike the Labour Party’s current presiding Grey Eminence, many persons on the autistic spectrum provide useful services and contributions to society. Also, far from being universally colourless and automaton-like, as per the usual stereotype, many autistic people do in fact have highly entertaining public personas: just look at Elon Musk.
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