Background
Sir Keir Rodney Starmer was born on 2nd September 1962. He was born in London and raised in Surrey. He attended the selective state Reigate Grammer School. As he routinely told people during the election, his dad was a toolmaker and his mum a nurse.
In 1985, he achieved a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Leeds and then a postgraduate Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford University in 1986.
He was a socialist from a young age. At the age of 16, he joined the Labour Party Young Socialists. And when he was 32, he wrote an article in Socialist Lawyer in which he said “Karl Marx was of course right’ about the pointlessness of trying to bring about change through abstract declarations of fundamental rights.
Having been called to the bar, he practised mainly criminal defense work with a particular focus on human rights. In 2002 he was a appointed a Queen’s Counsel (QC).
Director of Public Prosecutions 2008-2013
In 2008, he became Director of Public Prosecutions. During his tenure, he dealt with several very high profile cases.
For example, he oversaw an investigation into the Stephen Lawrance murder. Lawrence was a black British 18-year old who was murdered in a racially motivated attack on 22 April 1993. Despite six people being arrested, no-one was charged. A report in 1998 found that the original investigation was incompetent and the Metropolitan Police was institutionally racist. In 2011, Starmer announced a new investigation, which led to two perpetrators being convicted of murder in 2012.
It was during this time that he also oversaw changes to the policy about individuals who were convicted of helping people have an assisted death. Mr Starmer, a vocal supporter of law change, adopted a more lenient posture.
Labour MP
In 2015, Starmer was elected as an MP. Initially appointed Shadow Immigration Minister by Jeremy Corbyn, he resigned from that role in June 2016 as part of a protest against Corbyn’s leadership. Later that year he accepted a new position under Corbyn as Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.
In 2020 he won the leadership of the party, running on a clear left-wing platform, having secured 56.2% of the vote.
Leader of the Opposition
His major focus as leader of the Labour Party was to reposition the party and adopt a more centrist position, and to restore its credibility. He expelled some Corbyn supporters and placed a great emphasis on expelling antisemitism from the party.
After the Tories won Hartlepool in 2021, following a by-election, he briefly considered resigning as leader. But over 2022, the polls began to move in his direction. The chaos and resignation of Boris Johnson and then Liz Truss further strengthened his position.
Five Missions
Just prior to the 2024 election, Starmer set out Labour’s five key missions. They are:
- Kickstart economic growth
- Make Britain a clean energy superpower
- Take back our streets
- Break down barriers to opportunity
- Build an NHS fit for the future
What does he believe?
Starmer’s willingness to work under Jeremy Corbyn led to some of his most uncomfortable moments during the 2024 election. It shows there is a part of his politics that is genuinely left-leaning. When he ran for leader, his did so on a fairly explicit left-wing platform.
However, he is not wholly ideological and has demonstrated a very pragmatic approach to being leader, willing to shift Labour more towards the centre-ground in order to win the election.
He is pro-Net Zero and has consistently voted along generally pro-immigration lines. He voted against measures to raise the threshold for when you start paying income tax. He’s voted against proposals for British troops to engage in military action overseas. He voted for same-sex marriage. He has also generally voted against measures to reduce corporation tax.
How will he govern?
Reports suggest he will particularly make use of three other senior ministers, in a quartet: Angela Rayner as Deputy Leader, Rachel Reeves as Chancellor and Pat McFadden will be involved in making key strategic decisions.
According to one shadow cabinet member, Starmer will: “govern in the way in which he runs the Labour Party. He’s no-drama Starmer. He’s very methodical and analytical. He just gets on with things, he wants to fix problems.”
He will apparently create cross-departmental boards responsible for driving progress across Labour’s five missions. Each board will draw on private sector expertise and could include outside experts.
Where does he stand on social issues?
Starmer strongly supports assisted suicide and has signalled he wants to make the process for changing gender easier and less cumbersome, although he doesn’t support gender self-ID.
He has also said he supports a ban on conversion therapy and has voted in favour of imposing abortion laws on Northern Ireland.
Does he have a faith?
Starmer is an atheist and was in a ‘loosely Church of England home’. His wife was raised in a Jewish home and they are raising their two children in the Jewish faith, despite the fact neither are especially religious.
Starmer has praised the work of churches and the contributions they make to the common good of society. In a recent interview with Premier Christian Radio, he said:
“It’s sometimes said that the Labour Party owes more to Methodism than it does to Marx, It’s certainly true that the history of the Labour Party owes a huge debt to the Christian tradition.”
He caused controversy when he praised Jesus House in Brent Cross. He initially said: “From rolling the vaccine to running the local food bank, Jesus House, like many other churches across the UK, has played a crucial role in meeting the needs of the community.” However, under immediate fire from Labour’s LGBTQ+ group, he then released an unreserved apology for going to the church on social media.
Keir Starmer Trivia
- He plays football at an amateur level.
- He supports Arsenal
- He is a vegetarian and believes this is better for yourself and the environment.
- By his own admission he was something of a ‘party animal’ at university.
- He implied he took drugs while a student.
