David Tennant says Keir Starmer heralds a return to politics with ‘a clever grown-up’ in the room

Labour-supporting actor David Tennant has thrown his weight behind Keir Starmer's leadership, praising the fact that 'a clever grown-up' was offering opposition to Boris Johnson.

Tennant, known best for his appearances as Doctor Who, said that the party's loss under Jeremy Corbyn at the general election was 'disappointingly predictable', branding Labour's position on Brexit a 'shitshow'.

But despite struggling with his support for Labour at the last election, he told the Guardian he was dumbfounded by those who swapped to voting for the Tories.

'How do you go from ever being a Labour supporter to supporting Boris Johnson?'

And he expressed his disappointment at the lack of 'clever' leaders in politics, saying that Michael Gove's comments on experts was a particular 'political lowpoint'.

'It's a very sad state of affairs. Remember when there used to be clever people?'

'When you look back on David Cameron and George W Bush with some kind of sentimentality, you think: 'Jesus – how low have we plummeted, when they look like better options than what we've got currently?''

But Tennant expressed his pleasure with Keir Starmer leading the Labour Party. He said that they 'are looking a lot stronger' since he was elected leader.

'We've got a clever grown-up in the room, which makes the other side look as ridiculous as they are. Let's hope he can fulfil his early promise.'