Viral Video: ‘Gooner’ has been a word shared by the general public after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer used it in his speech in Parliament on Wednesday. In the UK it is generally synonymous with people who are die hard fans of Arsenal Football Club, but in American Internet jargon it has an entirely different, and much more specific, meaning. The reference to his support for the club was meant to be innocuous to emphasize his support for the North London club but after it went viral on social media, jokes and memes flew. After his reference to the club went viral on social media, particularly in the United States, memes and jokes quickly came out after Starmer’s innocuous use of the word.
Watch: Keir Starmer Says ‘I am a gooner’
🚨 WATCH: Keir Starmer tells MPs that he is a “gooner” pic.twitter.com/qHawNKSXUU
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) May 13, 2026
Before other MPs, Starmer announced, ‘Mr Speaker, I am a gooner!’, without realising that there is a double meaning to this across cultures. The Arsenal fans are known as ‘Gooners’ in the world of British football as Arsenal’s nickname was ‘The Gunners’. But little did he know that in the US slang of the Internet, however, it is now linked with a compulsion for pornography and over-masturbation. The double meaning of the words sparked a lot of comments on the social media platform X with people poking fun at the PM accidentally embarrassing themselves during a formal parliamentary session. A number of posts ridiculed the occasion, some poking fun at Starmer for ‘unconsciously revealing something a lot more personal than football loyalty’.
Social Media Reactions
The viral moment also reignited debates about the stark contrast between linguistic expressions in various countries, particularly with the world of social media where language is disseminated worldwide. Many online users noted Starmer‘s use was perfectly fine in the UK, especially among football fans. However, the event proved to be a case in point of the rapid changes that can occur on the internet when innocent words get lost in translation. Some users, in fact, mentioned former opposition leader Kemi Badenoch’s comments about ‘goons’ and ‘orcs’ that he made during parliamentary debates about Labour MPs.
UK Prime MInister Keir Starmer said: “I am a gooner”..
Urban Dictionary defines ‘gooner’ as “one who is completely and miserably addicted to porn.” pic.twitter.com/flnKpnnqww
— ExtraOrdinary (@Extreo_) May 13, 2026
Keir Starmer just stood in the House of Commons and proudly declared:
“I am a gooner.” or Arsenal fan
The internet: …sir this means something else entirely 😭 pic.twitter.com/aCD4iZcdqg
— John Luke (@yesknow) May 13, 2026
Keir Starmer says he is a gooner. I’m Liverpool so we are both losers Keir lol 😂 pic.twitter.com/3ZpM7T02Hz
— Nina (@ShakeLS) May 13, 2026
Who Are Other Famous ‘Gooners’?
Many other celebrities and public figures, such as Idris Elba, Tom Hiddleston, Anne Hathaway, Piers Morgan and Reese Witherspoon are also champions of the club and have used the words gooner without any qualms.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer In Parliament
The jocular debate came at a time of political turmoil for Starmer and the Labour government. There is reportedly division in the party, with some ministers reportedly being forced to resign and other Labour MPs challenging Starmer’s leadership. Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch further encouraged the pressure by alleging that the Prime Minister was ‘in office, but not in power’, as his government power diminished considerably. Starmer’s awkward slang comment on the internet, however, did bring a humorous element to what has been an otherwise stressful week in British politics.
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