Keir Rodney Starmer was born on 2 September 1962 inSouthwark, south east London,[1][2][3] and raised inOxted, Surrey.[4][5][6] He was the second of the four children of Josephine (née Baker), a nurse, and Rodney Starmer, atoolmaker.[6][7] His mother developedStill's disease.[8][2] His mother attended St John's Anglican Church in nearbyHurst Green, while his father was an atheist.[9] He was nominally "brought upChurch of England".[10] His parents were both Labour Party supporters, and reputedly named him after the party's first parliamentary leader,Keir Hardie,[11][12] although Starmer did not confirm this when asked in 2015.[13]
Starmer passed the11-plusexamination and gained entry toReigate Grammar School, which at the time was avoluntary-aidedselectivegrammar school.[1][12] The school converted into an independent fee-paying school in 1976, while he was a student. The terms of the conversion were such that his parents were not required to pay for his schooling until he turned 16, and when he reached that point, the school, by now a charity, awarded him abursary that allowed him to complete his education there without any parental contribution.[14][15][16] The subjects he chose to study in the sixth form during his last two years at school were mathematics, music and physics, in which he achievedA level grades of B, B and C.[17] Among his classmates at Reigate were the musician Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), with whom Starmer took violin lessons;Andrew Cooper, who later became a Conservative peer; and the future conservative journalistAndrew Sullivan. According to Starmer, he and Sullivan "fought over everything... Politics, religion. You name it."[6]
Starmer wrote legal opinions and marched in protest against theIraq War following the2003 invasion of Iraq, and said in 2015 that he believed the war was "not lawful under international law because there was no UN resolution expressly authorising it".[38][6] He defended one of theFairford Five who broke into theRAF Fairford military air base in 2003 and disabled equipment in order to disrupt military operations at the start of the Iraq War.[39]
Starmer served as ahuman rights adviser to theNorthern Ireland Policing Board and theAssociation of Chief Police Officers, and was also a member of theForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office'sDeath Penalty Advisory Panel from 2002 to 2008.[2][11] The Northern Ireland Board was an important part of bringing communities together following theGood Friday Agreement, and Starmer later cited his work on policing in Northern Ireland as being a key influence on his decision to pursue a political career: "Some of the things I thought that needed to change in police services we achieved more quickly than we achieved in strategic litigation... I came better to understand how you can change by being inside and getting the trust of people".[6] Starmer represented Croatia at the genocide hearings before theInternational Court of Justice atThe Hague in 2014, arguing that Serbia wanted to seize a third of Croatian territory during the 1990s war and eradicate the Croatian population.[40]
In February 2010, Starmer announced the CPS's decision to prosecute three Labour MPs and a Conservative peer for offences relating to false accounting in the aftermath of theparliamentary expenses scandal, who were all found guilty.[43][44] Starmer prioritised rapid prosecutions of rioters over long sentences during the2011 England riots, which he later concluded helped to bring "the situation back under control".[45][46] In February 2012 Starmer announced thatChris Huhne would be prosecuted forperverting the course of justice, stating in relation to the case that"[w]here there is sufficient evidence we do not shy away from prosecuting politicians".[47]
In 2012, the journalistNick Cohen published allegations that Starmer was personally responsible for allowing the prosecution of Paul Chambers to proceed, in what became known as the "Twitter joke trial". The CPS denied that Starmer was behind the decision, saying that it was the responsibility of a Crown Court and was out of Starmer's hands.[48] WhenJimmy Savile's sexual abuse crimes were exposed in 2012, Starmer said amidthe subsequent scandal that "It was like a dam had bust and people rightfully wanted to know why he had been allowed to get away with it for so long."[49] In 2013. Starmer announced changes to how sexual abuse investigations were to be handled amidOperation Yewtree, including a panel to review complaints.[50][51]
My predecessor, the Right Hon. Frank Dobson, to whom I pay tribute, was a powerful advocate of the rights of everyone in Holborn and St Pancras throughout his highly distinguished parliamentary career. Widely respected and widely regarded, he served the people of Holborn and St Pancras for 36 years. Although I doubt I will clock up 36 years, I intend to follow in Frank Dobson's footsteps—albeit my jokes are likely to seem tame when compared with his, and I might give the beard a miss.
— Keir Starmer in hismaiden speech to the House of Commons, May 2015
Starmer was selected in December 2014 as the Labour parliamentary candidate for theconstituency ofHolborn and St Pancras, a Laboursafe seat, following the decision of its sitting MP,Frank Dobson, to retire.[56] Starmer was elected at the2015 general election with a majority of 17,048 (52.9 per cent).[57] He was returned at the2017 general election with an increased majority of 30,509 (70.1 per cent), at the2019 general election with a reduced majority of 27,763 (64.9 per cent), and at the2024 general election with a further reduced majority of 18,884 (48.9 per cent), despite a Labour landslide nationally and him becoming prime minister.
On 4 January 2020 Starmer announced his candidacy for the resultantleadership election.[69][70] He gained support from the former Labour prime ministerGordon Brown andLondon MayorSadiq Khan.[22] During the Labour leadership campaign, Starmer ran aleft-wing platform and positioned himself in opposition toausterity, stating that Corbyn was right to position Labour as "the party ofanti-austerity".[71][72] He indicated he would continue with the Labour policy of scrappingtuition fees as well as pledging "common ownership" of rail, mail, energy and water companies, and called for ending outsourcing in the NHS, local government and the justice system.[73] Starmer was declared the winner of Labour's leadership contest on 4 April 2020, defeating his rivals,Rebecca Long-Bailey andLisa Nandy, with 56.2 per cent of the vote in the first round.[74][75][22]
It is the honour and the privilege of my life to be elected as Leader of the Labour Party. I want to thank Rebecca and Lisa for running such passionate and powerful campaigns and for their friendship and support along the way. I want to thank our Labour Party staff who worked really hard and my own amazing campaign team, full of positivity, with that unifying spirit. I want to pay tribute to Jeremy Corbyn, who led our party through some really difficult times, who energised our movement and who's a friend as well as a colleague. And to all of our members, supporters and affiliates I say this: whether you voted for me or not I will represent you, I will listen to you and I will bring our party together.
Having become Leader of the Opposition during theCOVID-19 pandemic, Starmer said in his acceptance speech that he would refrain from "scoring party political points" and would work with the Government "in the national interest".[76] He later became more critical ofHM Government's response to the pandemic following thePartygate scandal.[77] In May 2022 Starmer said he would resign were he to receive afixed penalty notice for breaching COVID-19 regulations while campaigning during the run-up to theHartlepool by-election andlocal elections the previous year.[78] The controversy surrounding the event was dubbed "Beergate".[79] In July 2022 Durham Police cleared Starmer and said that he had "no case to answer".[80] In August 2022 theParliamentary Commissioner for Standards,Kathryn Stone, found that Starmer had breached the MPs' code of conduct on eight occasions by failing to register interests.[81][82]
As Labour leader Starmer focused on repositioning the Party away fromthe Left and the controversies that affected Corbyn's leadership, with promises of economic stability, tacklingsmall-boat crossings, cutting NHS waiting times and "rebuilding the NHS", worker rights enrichment,energy independence and infrastructure development, tackling crime, improving education and training, reforming public services, renationalising the railway network, and recruiting 6,500 teachers.[93] Starmer also pledged to endantisemitism within the Labour Party.[22][94] In October 2020, following the release of theEquality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)'sreport into antisemitism in the Labour Party, Starmer accepted its findings in full and apologised to Jews on the Party's behalf.[95][96] In February 2023 the EHRC said that changes the party had made to its complaints and training procedures meant that the Labour Party no longer needed to be monitored by them.[97]
In September 2023 he reshuffled his shadow cabinet.[98] Starmer was ranked number two in theNew Statesman's Left Power List 2023, below hisShadow Chancellor,Rachel Reeves, but still described as "the overwhelming favourite to be the next Prime Minister".[99] The reshuffle was seen as a promotion ofBlairites and demotion of those on thesoft left.[100][101][102]
During the 2023Hamas-Israel War, Starmer emphasised his support for Israel, stated he would favour military aid to the country, and called the actions ofHamas and other militants terrorism.[103][104] In an interview withLBC on 11 October 2023, Starmer was asked whether it would be appropriate for Israel tototally cut off power and water supplies to Gaza, with Starmer replying that "I think that Israel does have that right" and that "obviously everything should be done within international law".[105][106] On 20 October, Starmer clarified that he only meant that Israel had the right to defend itself.[107] Starmer had said that a ceasefire would only benefit Hamas for future attacks, instead calling for a humanitarian pause to allow aid to reach Gaza.[108]
On 15 November 2023 Starmer suffered his largest defeat as leader when 56 of his MPs (including ten frontbenchers) defied athree-line whip in voting for an SNP motion to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.[109][110] In December 2023, Keir Starmer followed Rishi Sunak in changing his stance by calling for a "sustainable ceasefire" in relation to the conflict in Gaza. This also came after theForeign SecretaryDavid Cameron's same change in position. Starmer stated his support for a "two-stage" "two-state solution".[111][112][113] During Starmer's tenure as leader, Labour saw a drop in party membership from a peak of 532,000 after the 2019 election to 370,450 in the runup to the 2024 election.[114] More than 20,000 members left the party within two months in 2024, with blame placed on the party's stance on theGazan genocide andgreen investment.[115]
Starmer considered resigning after Labour's mixed results in the 2021 local elections, the first local elections of his leadership, but later felt "vindicated" by his decision to stay on, saying "I did [consider quitting] because I didn't feel that I should be bigger than the party and that if I couldn't bring about the change, perhaps there should be a change. But actually, in the end, I reflected on it, talked to very many people and doubled down and determined, no, it is the change in the Labour Party we need".[120]
On 22 May 2024 Prime MinisterRishi Sunak announced that a general election would be held on 4 July 2024. Labour entered the general election with a large lead over the Conservatives inopinion polls (which had been the case since 2022), and the potential scale of the party's victory remained a topic of discussion throughout the campaign.[123][124]
In June 2024 Starmer released the Labour Party's 2024 manifesto,Change, which focused on economic growth, planning system changes, infrastructure, what Starmer describes as "clean energy", healthcare, education, childcare, and strengthening workers' rights.[125][126] It pledged a new publicly owned energy company (Great British Energy), a "Green Prosperity Plan", reducing patient waiting times in the NHS, andrenationalisation of therailway network (Great British Railways).[127] Promising wealth creation together with "pro-business and pro-worker" policies,[128] the manifesto also pledged giving 16-year-olds the vote, reforming theHouse of Lords, and to taxprivate schools, with money generated going into improving state education.[129][130] On taxes, the day after the manifesto was released, Starmer pledged that not only would income tax,National Insurance, and VAT not be increased, but that, per their manifesto, their plans were fully costed and funded and would not require tax increases.[131]
Starmer led Labour to a landslide victory at the general election, ending fourteen years of Conservative government with Labour becoming the largest party in the House of Commons.[132] Labour achieved a 174-seat simple majority and a total of 411 seats, the party's third-best result in terms of seat-share following the1997 and2001 general elections. The party became the largest in England for the first time since2005,in Scotland for the first timesince 2010 and retained its status as the largest partyin Wales.[133] Despite this, Labour won 34 per cent of the vote – the lowest of any party forming a majority government in the post-war era,[134] leading to concerns about theproportionality of the election.[135][136]
In his victory speech Starmer thanked Labour Party workers for their work – including nearly five years of revamping and rebranding Labour in the face of Conservative dominance – and urged them to savour the moment, but warned them of challenges ahead and pledged his government would seek "national renewal":[137][138]
We did it! You campaigned for it, you fought for it, you voted for it and now it has arrived. Change begins now. And it feels good, I have to be honest. Four-and-a-half years of work changing the party. This is what it is for – a changed Labour Party ready to serve our country, ready to restore Britain to the service of working people. And across our country people will be waking up to the news, relieved that a weight has been lifted, a burden finally removed from the shoulders of this great nation. And now we can look forward. Walk into the morning, the sunlight of hope, pale at first but getting stronger through the day, shining once again, on a country with the opportunity after 14 years to get its future back. We said we would end the chaos and we will. We said we would turn the page and we have. Today we start the next chapter, begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal and start to rebuild our country.
— Keir Starmer on 5 July 2024, following his general election victory
As the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, Starmer was appointed prime minister,First Lord of the Treasury andMinister for the Civil Service byKing Charles III on 5 July 2024, becoming the first Labour prime minister since Gordon Brown in 2010 and the first one to win a general election sinceTony Blair in2005.[139][140][141] He and his wife, Victoria, were driven fromBuckingham Palace toDowning Street. Starmer stopped the car on the way back from the palace to go on a walkabout in Downing Street to meet cheering crowds.[142]
In his first speech as prime minister, Starmer paid tribute to his predecessor, Rishi Sunak, saying "his achievement as the first British Asian prime minister of our country should not be underestimated by anyone" and he also recognised "the dedication and hard work he brought to his leadership", but added that the people of the UK had voted for change:[143]
You have given us a clear mandate, and we will use it to deliver change. To restore service and respect to politics, end the era of noisy performance, tread more lightly on your lives, and unite our country. Four nations, standing together again, facing down, as we have so often in our past, the challenges of an insecure world. Committed to a calm and patient rebuilding. So with respect and humility, I invite you all to join this government of service in the mission of national renewal. Our work is urgent and we begin it today.
Starmer has suffered from low favourability among the British public during his tenure as prime minister.[156] Starmer's average approval rating fell from 5% after the election to -30% by January 2025 before levelling off until April 2025 when it began to decline further,reaching -46% by November that year. A poll byIpsos indicates that Starmer is the most unpopular prime minister since Ipsos's records began in 1977. It found 13% of the public were satisfied with Starmer's job performance, 79% dissatisfied, giving a net approval rating of minus 66.[157][158][159] Starmer's average net approval remained higher than Boris Johnson's during thePartygate scandal, Jeremy Corbyn's when he resigned as Labour leader and when Liz Truss resigned as prime minister.[160] Some voters have objected to his attempted benefit reductions as part of Labour's Universal Credit Bill in July 2025.[161]
Domestic policy
Domestically, Starmer said that his primary concerns would be economic growth, reforming the planning system, infrastructure, energy, healthcare, education, childcare, and strengthening workers' rights, as set out in Labour's 2024 election manifesto. The2024 State Opening of Parliament outlined 39 bills that Labour proposed to introduce in the months ahead, including ones torenationalise the railways, to bring local bus services under local public control, to strengthen the rights of workers, to tackleillegal immigration, to reform theHouse of Lords, and to undertake a programme to speed up the delivery of "high quality infrastructure" and housing. In addition, a number of bills proposed by the previous Conservative government were also included, notably theTobacco and Vapes Bill, which featured in the 2023 King's Speech, but had beenabandoned when the election was called.[162][163]Skills England, a body whose objective will be to reduce the need for overseas employees by improving skills training for people in England, was launched on 22 July.[164][165]
Economy
Starmer with Reeves, 6 July 2024
The newchancellor of the exchequer,Rachel Reeves, accused the previous government of leaving a £21.9 billion "black hole", and announced on 29 July that certainwinter fuel payments would be scrapped for around 10 million pensioners.[166][167] Followingcriticism of the plan, Starmer has defended the scrapping of these winter fuel payments, arguing that he had to make "tough decisions to stabilise the economy".[168][169] On 10 September the government benches defeated a Conservative Party motion in Parliament by a majority of 120 to block the measure.[170]
Starmer's Labour Government inherited a number ofongoing industrial disputes from the precedingConservative Government and agreed pay deals withtrade unions representing NHS and railway workers, ending strikes in the first few months of taking office.[171] In August 2024, Starmer's government agreed to increase public-sector worker pay by 5 to 7 per cent.[172]
On 10 October 2024, the Government introduced the Employment Rights Bill, expected to become an Act of Parliament in 2025. This includes an increase in minimum wages and a wide array of rights, such as immediate protection against unfair dismissal and the entitlement for employees to request flexible working arrangements, unless the employer can demonstrate that such arrangements are impractical.[173][174][175] Billions worth of investments in emerging growth sectors including AI and life sciences, and infrastructure were unveiled by businesses and ministers at the government's inaugural International Investment Summit on 14 October 2024. World-renowned CEOs and investors from around the world convened with ministers, First Ministers, and local leaders at theGuildhall in London.[176]
TheOctober 2024 budget was presented to theHouse of Commons byChancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves on 30 October 2024. It covered Labour's fiscal plans, with a focus on investment, healthcare, education, childcare,sustainable energy, transport, and worker's rights enrichment. TheNational Minimum Wage is set to increase by 6.7 per cent (reaching £12.21 per hour) and a £22.6 billion increase in the day-to-day health budget was announced, with a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget. That includes £1 billion for hospital repairs and rebuilding projects.[177] The government plans to allocate £5 billion for housing investment in the fiscal year 2025–26, with a focus on enhancing the availability of affordable housing. Education will receive £6.7 billion of capital investment, a 19 per cent real-terms increase. This includes £1.4 billion to rebuild more than 500 schools.[178]
The June 2025Spending Review was presented to the House of Commons by the Chancellor, allocating day-to-day budgets for the years between 2025/26 and 2028/29 and capital budgets for the years between 2025/26 and 2029/30. It included £14.2 billion for a new nuclear power station atSizewell C,[179] £15 billion for transport projects outside London,[180] and £39 billion over a decade for social and affordable housing.[181]
In a May 2025 speech and associatedwhite paper on the topic of immigration, Starmer said that the UK risked becoming an "island of strangers", and that high immigration had done "incalculable damage" to society.[183][184] The white paper outlined changes aimed at reducing immigration, including training for people in the UK.[185][186][187] His language was criticised by the left for its perceived echoes ofEnoch Powell'sRivers of Blood speech.[188] In June, Starmer apologised for his "island of strangers" comment, saying that the phrase "wasn't right" and "I deeply regret using it". He said that he and his speechwriters had been unaware of the similarity with Powell's words.[188]
On 10 July 2025, Starmer announced that a new'one in, one out' migrant deal with France would begin within weeks.[189] In early September 2025, it was reported that 3,567 people had arrived on the UK's shores since the deal with France was ratified in August, however returns had not yet commenced.[190] On 15 September 2025, the first 'one in, one out' migrant flight, which was due to fly one migrant from London to Paris on anAir France flight, was cancelled due to protests from charities and threats of legal action.[191] On 16 September 2025, deportation flights were cancelled again due to legal challenges and protests.[192] Further that day it was reported that a 25-year-oldEritrean asylum seeker who had arrived on a small boat on 12 August 2025, would not be deported as planned on 17 September, after he won his High Court bid to have the removal temporarily blocked.[193][194] As part of his immigration reform, on 18 November 2025, the2025 UK refugee plan was presented to Parliament byShabana Mahmood.[195]
Healthcare
On 11 September 2024 Starmer pledged that there would be no more money for the NHS without reform. In response to the report from a nine-week review conducted by the peer and NHS surgeonLord Darzi, which said that the NHS in England was in a critical condition, Starmer said the solution was reform, not money, and that there will be no more money without reform.[196]
In Government, Starmer reaffirmed the outgoing Conservative government's commitment of no newHIV cases in the United Kingdom by 2030. On 10 February 2025 Starmer, alongside the singer and HIV activistBeverley Knight and theTerrence Higgins Trust chief executive Richard Angell, recorded himself taking arapid HIV home test. This made Starmer the first serving British prime minister and servingG7 leader to take a test on camera.[197][198] In March 2025 Starmer, along withHealth SecretaryWes Streeting announced a two-year plan to abolishNHS England, saying it would to reduce bureaucracy and increase funding available for more effective purposes within the service.[199][200]
In July 2025 the government's Universal Credit Bill passed the House of Commons. It will increase the standard rate ofUniversal Credit.[208] The measures reduce the health-related aspect of universal credit for certain claimants, but they make sure that other parts of the benefit increase beyond inflation.[209]
Education
Starmer's government has imposed VAT on private school fees, expanded free school meals to 500,000 more children,[210] and opened 750 free breakfast clubs in primary schools.[211] It also presided over an increase in tuition fees for higher education in England along with an increase inmaintenance loans.[212]
Criminal justice
Shortly after taking office, Starmer said that there were "too many prisoners",[213] and described the previous government as having acted "almost beyond recklessness".[214] Saying it would help manage prison overcrowding, the newly appointedJustice Secretary,Shabana Mahmood, announced the implementation of an early release scheme which allowed for prisoners in England and Wales to be released after serving 40 per cent of their sentences rather than the 50 per cent previously introduced under the last government.[215] Over 1,700 prisoners were released in September, with further releases expected in the following year.[216] It then emerged that one prisoner released early under the scheme was charged with sexual assault relating to an alleged offence against a woman on the same day he was freed.[217] Starmer has defended the releasing of prisoners, and accused the previous government of having "broke[n] the prison system", with plans to build new prisons.[218][219]Critics have accused Starmer's government oftwo-tier policing, which has led to these critics labelling him with the moniker "Two-Tier Keir".[220][221] Allegations of two-tier policing were prevalent during theSouthport riots in August 2024 and the subsequent arrest of rioters and some of their supporters, such asLucy Connolly, along with the Epping protests in July 2025.[222][223] Conversely, critics such asJamie Driscoll believe that the police are more favourable to right-wing protests and more heavy-handed against left-wing protests and groups such asPalestine Action, which was proscribed by Starmer's government in 2025.[224][225][226]
Following the2024 Southport stabbing, in which three young girls were killed, Starmer described the incident as horrendous and shocking and thankedemergency services for their swift response.[227] He visited Southport and laid flowers at the scene, where he was heckled by some members of the public.[228] Starmer later wrote amidstthe riots across England and Northern Ireland following the stabbing that those who had "hijacked the vigil for the victims" had "insulted the community as it grieves" and that rioters would feel the full force of the law.[229]
On 1 August, and following a meeting with senior police officers, Starmer announced the establishment of a National Violent Disorder Programme to facilitate greater cooperation between police forces when dealing withviolent disorder.[230] On 4 August Starmer stated that rioters "will feel the full force of the law" and that "You will regret taking part in this, whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves". He added "I won't shy away from calling it what it is – far-right thuggery".[231][232] Starmer later called an emergency response meeting ofCOBRA.[233] After the COBRA meeting, Starmer ordered a "standing army" to be set up to tackle the ongoing "far-right" riots. This was possible under the special emergency powers which were first used 40 years ago under theRidley Plan, to tackle striking miners in 1984 and 1985.[234]
Starmer rejected calls from some MPs – including the Labour MPDiane Abbott, theReform UK leaderNigel Farage and the Conservative MPDame Priti Patel – torecall Parliament toWestminster.[235] After he said "large social media companies and those who run them" were contributing to the disorder,Elon Musk, the owner of the social media websiteX, criticised Starmer for not condemning all participants and only blaming thefar-right.[236][237] Musk further said Starmer was not protecting all communities in the United Kingdom, which he said had a "two-tier" policing system.[238][239][240]
Starmer with US President Joe Biden in theOval Office, 10 July 2024Starmer with US President Donald Trump in theOval Office, 27 February 2025
In July 2024, following the 2024 general election, US PresidentJoe Biden congratulated Starmer on "a hell of a victory".[245] Starmer and Biden discussed their shared commitment to theSpecial Relationship between the US and the UK, as well as their mutual support of Ukraine.
In September 2024, during a visit toNew York City to address theUN General Assembly, Starmer met the AmericanRepublican Party presidential candidate, Trump, atTrump Tower. Following the meeting, Starmer said it was "good" to have met with Trump and that the meeting was an opportunity for both Trump and Starmer to establish a working relationship.[247] Following Trump's election victory in the2024 United States presidential election, Starmer called Trump to formally congratulate him on 6 November and was assured that the "special relationship" between the United Kingdom and United States "would continue to thrive".[248]
In February 2025 Starmer met with President Trump at theWhite House to discuss continued support to Ukraine and a potential peace deal. They additionally discussed a potential trade deal. He also presented a hand written letter fromKing Charles III inviting the President to a historic second state visit to the UK.[249][250]
Starmer and Secretary-GeneralJens Stoltenberg at the NATO summit in 2024
The first overseas meeting Starmer attended as prime minister was the2024 NATO summit held inWashington from 9 to 11 July 2024.[253][254] On the flight to the summit, Starmer laid out a "cast iron" commitment to increasedefence spending to the NATO target of 2.5 per cent ofGDP in line with the NATO target, following a "root and branch" review ofBritish armed forces.[255][256]
Europe
Since he became prime minister Starmer has sought to "reset"UK relations with theEuropean Union followingBrexit, which he opposed. He met with a number of European leaders during his first few months in office.[257][258]
On 27 August 2024 Starmer and German ChancellorOlaf Scholz announced talks towards revising aGermany-UKco-operation agreement covering areas including defence, energy security, science and technology.[259]
Following aheated meeting between US President Trump and President Zelenskyy at the White House, Starmer organised asummit of European leaders in London. Among the things discussed at the summit were continued support for Ukraine, security guarantees for the country and peace efforts.[262]
China
In November 2024, Starmer met Chinese PresidentXi Jinping at theG20 summit in Rio de Janeiro and told him he wanted to build a 'consistent, durable, respectful' relationship with China.[263]
On theGaza war, Starmer has supported Israel's right to self-defence and has not blocked all arms sales to Israel. He has also condemned some of Israel's actions, called for a ceasefire, committed humanitarian aid to Gaza, and supported atwo-state solution.[264][265][266]
In October 2023, shortly after theHamas attack on Israel, Starmer said Israel had the "right to defend" itself and suggested Israel had the right to cut off power and water from theGaza Strip, but added "everything should be done within international law".[105] This sparked significant controversy within his party, and several Labour councillors resigned in protest. Starmer then said that he was referring to the right to self-defence, "I was not saying that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines".[107]
When he became prime minister, Starmer told Israeli prime ministerBenjamin Netanyahu of the "urgent need for a ceasefire, the return of hostages and an immediate increase in the volume of humanitarian aid". He also assured Netanyahu that the UK would continue its "vital cooperation to deter malign threats" with Israel.[267]
Under Starmer's premiership, the licences of someBritish arms sales to Israel were suspended in September 2024 because of a "clear risk" that the weapons could be used to violate international law.Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the UK Government's suspension of 30 of 350 arms export licences to Israel, affecting equipment such as parts for fighter jets, helicopters and drones.[268] However, in the last three months of 2024, UK arms licenses to Israel totalled £127.6 million, exceeding the £115 million worth of military equipment sent to Israel in the prior four years, 2020 to 2023.[269]
Keir Starmer with Israeli PresidentIsaac Herzog at 10 Downing Street, 10 September 2025
In May 2025 Starmer issued a joint statement withEmmanuel Macron andMark Carney condemning Israel'srenewed offensive against Gaza. He called for Israel to immediately stop its military operations and to immediately allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. The statement condemned remarks by members of the Israeli government suggesting the destruction in Gaza would lead to relocation of its population as "abhorrent" and against international law. He said his government would take "concrete actions" if Israel continued its "egregious actions".[271] Netanyahu accused Starmer of siding with Hamas, saying "you're on the wrong side of justice, you're on the wrong side of humanity and you're on the wrong side of history".[272]
On 5 July, the government made the protest groupPalestine Action a "proscribed organisation" under theTerrorism Act 2000, following its vandalism of military aircraft atRAF Brize Norton alleged to support the Israeli military.[273] On 6 August, at a LabourNational Executive Committee meeting, Starmer said the group had targeted Jewish-owned businesses, and that the ban was not meant "to stifle debate on Palestine".[274] On 9 August, theMetropolitan Police made 532 arrests, its most in at least a decade, at a protest inParliament Square. Of these 522 were for "displaying an item in support of a proscribed organisation", as most protestors carried placards reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."Amnesty International andLiberty condemned the proscription as infringing onfreedom of speech.[275][276] Protests against the banning of Palestine Action continued into September 2025, with 890 arrests in one weekend.[277][278]
Starmer and Donald Trump atGaza peace summit in Egypt, 13 October 2025
On 29 July 2025, Starmer announced that the United Kingdom would conditionallyrecognise theState of Palestine at the September opening of theUnited Nations General Assembly, contingent on Israel's compliance with a ceasefire, the facilitation of humanitarian aid, and a commitment to a two-state solution. The announcement followed a letter signed by 225 MPs, including over half of Labour, calling for immediate recognition. One of its coordinators,Sarah Champion, criticised the conditionality, while Netanyahu and Conservative politicians condemned the move as rewarding Hamas.[279] On 21 September, Starmer announced that the United Kingdom formally recognised Palestine as an independent state.[280]
A "China spy case" that came to light in 2024 involving Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry collapsed in September 2025 after theCrown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped charges under theOfficial Secrets Act. The two were accused of passing information harmful to UK interests between December 2021 and February 2023. Director of Public ProsecutionsStephen Parkinson said the case fell apart because the government failed to provide evidence that China was officially considered a national security threat at the time, as required under a 2025 legal precedent. Conservative leaderKemi Badenoch accused Starmer's government of withholding key evidence to appease China, while the government denied interference and blamed outdated laws and the previous administration's stance on China.[283][284][285]
In November 2025, further reports emerged that plans to replace Starmer withWes Streeting could be enacted after theNovember 2025 United Kingdom budget.[286] The reports were instigated by briefings to the media from Starmer's allies, which stated that he would resist any attempted challenge to his leadership.[287]
Starmer's political positions significantly changed after the2020 Labour Party leadership election, which he won on a ten-pledgeleft-leaning platform. Most of the pledges, including increasingincome tax on the top 5 per cent of earners, abolishinguniversity tuition fees, and support forfreedom of movement, were abandoned or substantially changed during Starmer's tenure as Labour and Opposition leader. Starmer defended changing positions on these issues by stating that the changing economic circumstances made these pledges unrealistic.[288][289][290][291]
Some commentators, judging that Starmer has led his party towards the political centre in order to improve its electability, attempt to liken what he has accomplished in this regard with Tony Blair's development ofNew Labour.[292] Others regard his changes of policy as testament that Starmer holds no clearly defined philosophy.[293][294][295] A third group think that Starmer does subscribe to a definite ideology and that it is towards the left end of the socialist spectrum, arguing that "Labour under Starmer has advanced a politics ofanti-neoliberalism like that of Jeremy Corbyn andJohn McDonnell", and that Starmer "differs markedly from New Labour" in "aspiring to restructurean economic model perceived to have failed".[292]
Figures including Starmer's former boss – the barristerGeoffrey Robertson[296] – his former advisorSimon Fletcher,[297] and the journalist and broadcasterPeter Oborne,[298] have described Starmer as exhibiting anauthoritarian approach.[299] In office, he initiated plans to garner support from authoritarian-leaning voters.[300]
Despite the lack of consensus as yet about the character and even existence of Starmer's ideology, it has acquired a neologism, Starmerism, and his supporters have been called Starmerites.[301][302] Starmer's advisorMorgan McSweeney is often credited with having significantly influenced Starmer's political positions.[303][304][305][306]
In April 2023 Starmer gave an interview toThe Economist on defining Starmerism.[302][307] In this interview, two main strands of Starmerism were identified.[307] The first strand focused on a critique of the British state for being too ineffective and over-centralised. The answer to this critique was to base governance on five main missions to be followed over two terms of government: these missions would determine all government policy. The second strand was the adherence to an economic policy of "modern supply-side economics" based on expanding economic productivity by increasing participation in thelabour market, reducing inequality, expanding skills, mitigating the impact ofBrexit and simplifying theconstruction planning process.[307]
In June 2023 Starmer gave an interview toTime where he was asked to define Starmerism, stating: "Recognizing that our economy needs to be fixed. Recognizing that [solving] climate change isn't just an obligation; it's the single biggest opportunity that we've got for our country going forward. Recognizing that public services need to be reformed, that every child and every place should have the best opportunities and that we need a safe environment, safe streets,et cetera."[308]
Starmer has repeatedly emphasised the reform of public institutions (against atax and spend approach),localism, anddevolution. He has pledged toabolish the House of Lords, which he describes as "indefensible", during the first term of a Labour government and to replace it with a directly elected Assembly of the Regions and Nations, the details of which will be subject to scrutiny bypublic consultation. He criticised the Conservatives for creatingpeerages for "cronies and donors".[318] Starmer tasked the former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown with recommendingBritish constitutional reforms,[319] whose report was published in 2022. Endorsed and promoted by Starmer, Brown's report recommended the abolition of the House of Lords, extending greater powers to local councils and mayors, and deeperdevolution to thecountries of the United Kingdom.[320] Labour's 2024 election manifesto committed to the removal of theremaining hereditary peers from thechamber, setting amandatory retirement age of80, and beginning a consultation on replacing the Lords with a "more representative" body.[321] A 2025 pre-conferenceGuardian editorial stated Starmer generally took an Anglo-American not European position, and had referenced the American centristAbundance book and buzzword for developing prosperity by deregulation, rapid infrastructure development and market-led growth.[322]
In a July 2024 statement toPinkNews ahead of the 2024 election, Starmer stated the Labour Party supportedLGBT rights, including strengthening protections against hate crimes targeting members of theLGBT community, "modernising" the "intrusive and outdated" gender recognition framework, and a proposed, "trans-inclusive" ban onconversion therapy.[328][329] After taking office, the Labour Party reiterated plans for the ban as part of the King's speech.[330][331][332]
After themurder of George Floyd by the police officerDerek Chauvin in the United States, against which numerous protests were held in theWestern world, Starmer supported theBlack Lives Mattermovement, andtook the knee alongside his deputy, Angela Rayner.[337] One year on from Floyd's murder, Starmer promised a Race Equality Act, which he said would be a "defining cause" for his Labour Government.[338]
In the wake of themurder of Sarah Everard in March 2021, Starmer called for longer sentences for rape and sexual violence.[339] Starmer said he wanted to reduce crime, maintaining that "too many people do not feel safe in their streets".[340] He has pledged to halve the rates of violence against women and girls, halve the rates of serious violent crime, halve the incidents of knife crime, increase confidence in the criminal justice system, and create a 'Charging Commission'[341] which would be "tasked with coming up with reforms to reverse the decline in the number of offences being solved".[342] He has also committed to placing specialist domestic violence workers in thecontrol rooms of every police force responding to 999 calls to support victims of abuse.[343] In June 2024 Starmer pledged to reduce the record high level oflegal immigration to the UK,[344] and aims to reduce net migration by improving training and skills for British workers.[345][346]
In December 2023, Starmer usedMargaret Thatcher, as well as Tony Blair andClement Attlee, as examples of how politicians can effect "meaningful change" by acting "in service of the British people, rather than dictating to them".[347][348] Starmer has described the Labour Party as "deeply patriotic" and credits its most successful leaders, Attlee,Harold Wilson, and Blair, for policies "rooted in the everyday concerns of working people".[340] In a speech in May 2023, Starmer stated:[349]
Don't mistake me, the very best of progressive politics is found in our determination to push Britain forward. A hunger, an ambition, that we can seize the opportunities of tomorrow and make them work for working people.But this ambition must never become unmoored from working people's need for stability, for order, security. The Conservative Party can no longer claim to be conservative. It conserves nothing we value — not our rivers and seas, not our NHS or BBC, not our families, not our nation. We must understand there are precious things – in our way of life, in our environment, in our communities – that it is our responsibility to protect and preserve and to pass on to future generations. If that sounds Conservative, then let me tell you: I don't care.
— Keir Starmer
Personal life
Starmer and his wife, Victoria, outside 10 Downing Street, 5 July 2024
Starmer metVictoria Alexander, then a solicitor, in the early 2000s, while he was a senior barrister withDoughty Street Chambers, when they were working on the same case. They became engaged in 2004 and married on 6 May 2007 at the Fennes Estate just north ofBocking, Essex.[350][351] The couple have two children: a son, who was born a year after their wedding, and a daughter, born two years later. Until moving in to Downing Street, the couple resided inKentish Town, north London, where they own atownhouse.[352][353][354]
Starmer is apescatarian, and his wife is a vegetarian. They raised their children as vegetarians until they were 10 years old, at which point they were given theoption of eating meat.[355] In an interview during the 2024 general election campaign, Starmer said that his biggest fear about becoming prime minister was how it may impact on his children, due to their "difficult ages" and how it would be easier if they were younger or older.[356] During the 2024 general election campaign, Starmer said in an interview that he would try to avoid working after 6pm on Fridays in order to observeShabbat dinners and spend time with his family.[357][358]
Starmer is anatheist, and has chosen to take a "solemn affirmation" (rather than anoath) ofallegiance to the monarch.[359] He has said that although he does not believe in God, he recognises the power of faith to bring people together and has been supportive in raising his children in theJewish faith.[360][361][362] He also accompanies his family to services at theLiberal Jewish Synagogue in North London.[357][363] Starmer is a keen footballer, having played for Homerton Academicals, a north London amateur team.[12] He supports thePremier Leaguefootball clubArsenal and was a season-ticket holder at theEmirates Stadium before becoming prime minister.[6][364]
Since September 2024, Starmer and his family have kept aSiberian cat, named Prince, at 10 Downing Street.[365][366]
On 26 December 2024, Starmer's brother Nick died, following a cancer diagnosis. Starmer issued a statement the following day, paying tribute to him.[367]
^"Hello: MP Keir Starmer".On The Hill. London: Primrose Hill Community Association. 22 November 2015.Archived from the original on 22 May 2020. Retrieved11 May 2020.
^"Keir Starmer, a serious Labour man".The Economist. 27 February 2020.ISSN0013-0613.Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved19 May 2023.While it is hard to define what Sir Keir stands for politically, it is clear what he isn't: a populist. He personifies the 'blob' that populists accuse of frustrating the will of the people.
^"Sir Keir Starmer announces plans to lower legal migration".Sky News. 2 June 2024.Figures published after Rishi Sunak called the general election showed a net of 685,000 arrived in the UK last year – down from a record of 764,000 in 2022. ... In 2012, when the data from the Office for National Statistics starts, net migration was just under 200,000.
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