The World Economic Forum has not selected Keir Starmer as the next 'puppet' prime minister

Context

With the July 4, 2024, U.K. general election approaching, some online users have made unsubstantiated claims regarding Keir Starmer's association with the World Economic Forum (WEF). One claim on Facebook (archived here) suggests that the WEF has chosen Keir Starmer as the U.K.'s "next puppet prime minister."

However, this is false. There is no evidence that the WEF endorses Keir Starmer as the prime minister of the U.K., and the organization does not have the power to select Keir Starmer for that role. Both party leaders and the prime minister are elected through democratic processes.

In fact

The World Economic Forum is a non-profit organization that collaborates with leaders from politics, business, academia, civil society, and other sectors to shape global, regional, and industry agendas. It operates independently and impartially, without affiliation with any special interests. Despite the forum's efforts to be nonpartisan, the organization is often the target of conspiracy theories. 

Keir Starmer was elected as the Labour Party leader through a democratic process within the party in 2020. To become a party leader, a candidate must be nominated by 20 percent of fellow Labour MPs. To qualify for the final ballot, candidates must secure nominations from 5 percent of constituency parties or at least three Labour Party affiliates (including two trade unions) representing 5 percent of the affiliated membership.

The prime minister is elected through a process regulated by the Elections Act and overseen by the Electoral Commission. This system governs the election process, ensuring electoral integrity and that the voters choose the prime minister.

Both Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Rishi Sunak have profiles on the WEF website, which is a common practice for political leaders involved in WEF discussions. In 2023, Starmer attended the annual WEF meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where he presented his clean energy plan for the U.K. In January 2024, Starmer sent senior Labour Party members Rachel Reeves and Jonathan Reynolds to the WEF event to explore potential business opportunities for the country.

Beyond diplomacy and party strategy, there is no evidence of Keir Starmer's affiliation with or endorsement by the WEF.

Yann Zopf, a spokesperson for the WEF, explained to Logically Facts that the Forum "does not engage in political campaigns or endorsements of individual politicians."

Logically Facts debunked a similar claim in 2022, alleging that the WEF had installed Rishi Sunak as prime minister.

The verdict

The World Economic Forum does not have the power to select candidates and intervene in democratic processes within countries. While Keir Starmer has participated in WEF events, there is no evidence that the organization chose him to be the prime minister of the U.K. Therefore, we have rated the claim as false.

Follow Logically Facts' coverage and fact-checking of the U.K. Election here.