Three years ago, Sir Keir Starmer nearly stepped down as Labour leader. It was 2021, and his party had just suffered a defeat in the Hartlepool by-election to Boris Johnson’s Conservatives, losing the seat for the first time.
Fast forward to today, and those three years seem like a political eternity. Sir Keir has now become only the fifth person in British history to lead Labour from opposition to power.
His party has transformed from a significant defeat in the 2019 general election to a victorious 2024. The Hartlepool loss serves as a stark reminder that Sir Keir’s path to Downing Street was anything but smooth.
His life and career had been on a very different trajectory for a long time.
Keir Starmer, raised in the town of Oxted on the border of Kent and Surrey, was one of four siblings. His upbringing was shaped by his father, a toolmaker, and his mother, a nurse who battled with Still’s disease, a severe form of arthritis.
Sir Keir has openly discussed the difficulties of his childhood, particularly during the high inflation era of the 1970s.
“If you’re working class, you’re scared of debt,” he said during the election campaign.
“My mum and dad were scared of debt, so they would choose the bill that they wouldn’t pay.” The choice was the phone bill.
In his youth, Sir Keir Starmer led a multifaceted life. He had a passion for football, often found on the left side of midfield, and showed musical talent, studying violin under Norman Cook, later known as DJ Fatboy Slim.
Known for his rebellious spirit, Sir Keir and his friends once found themselves in trouble with the police for illegally selling ice cream on a French beach to raise funds.
Politics also played a role from early on, evidenced by his name honoring Keir Hardie, the first leader of the Labour Party. Before entering Parliament, Sir Keir engaged in left-wing political activities, hinting at his future path in public service.
That started at school, when he joined the Young Socialists, Labour’s youth movement.
After school, Sir Keir became the first person in his family to go to university, studying law at Leeds University and later at Oxford.
At Leeds, he was influenced by the indie music of the 1980s, from The Smiths and The Wedding Present to Orange Juice and Aztec Camera.
His biographer, Tom Baldwin, notes his favourite drink as a student was a mix of beer and cider – or Snakebite – and he had a taste for curry and chips.
During his tenure under the 2010-15 coalition government, Sir Keir Starmer faced the challenge of implementing substantial cuts, including reducing the Crown Prosecution Service’s budget by more than 25%.
His responsibilities also included overseeing high-profile cases such as prosecuting MPs involved in the parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009 and prosecuting Chris Huhne, then a Liberal Democrat cabinet minister, for perverting the course of justice by asking his wife to take speeding points for him.
In recognition of his legal achievements, Sir Keir was knighted in 2014. Evaluating his leadership, towards the end of his term, Sir Keir acknowledged in a BBC interview that the justice system continued to fail vulnerable victims, highlighting ongoing challenges despite his efforts.
For a while after graduating, Sir Keir lived above a brothel in north London.
At the age of 52, Sir Keir Starmer embarked on a career change by securing a safe Labour seat in north London, winning comfortably alongside his contemporary, Rishi Sunak. However, his entry into Parliament coincided with a challenging period for the Labour Party, freshly defeated in the general election and facing internal turmoil under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
Questions surrounding Sir Keir’s alignment with Jeremy Corbyn have been persistent throughout his journey from backbencher to Labour leader and now potentially to Downing Street.
His initial appointment as shadow immigration minister by Corbyn was short-lived, resigning less than a year later along with many others in protest following the Brexit referendum.
Despite these tensions, Sir Keir returned as shadow Brexit secretary, showcasing a pragmatic approach in navigating Labour’s stance on EU withdrawal.
Over time, Sir Keir’s stance on Corbyn evolved. Initially supportive in public statements and working towards electoral success, he later emerged as Corbyn’s successor after the 2019 election debacle for Labour.
Despite low expectations, Sir Keir’s leadership was seen as a potential catalyst for Labour’s rebuilding efforts, contrasting sharply with the long-standing assumption of Boris Johnson’s enduring governance.
Sir Keir’s Labour trailed Mr Johnson’s Conservatives in the polls for much of 2020 and 2021 when the Hartlepool by-election was held.
But that started to change after the first reports of Downing Street parties during the pandemic, when strict restrictions were in place around social gatherings.
There is a clear point in the polls where Labour overtakes the Conservatives in November 2021.
Its lead increased significantly after the Liz Truss mini budget and has been consistent and significant ever since.
A ‘ruthless’ leader
Sir Keir’s allies argue that wouldn’t have happened without big changes in the Labour Party. Sir Keir has sometimes been ruthless.
Jeremy Corbyn was thrown out of the parliamentary party and ultimately barred from standing as a Labour candidate.
Economic policy was tightened; meaning policies were junked if they weren’t seen as affordable.
Sir Keir embraced British patriotism, using the union jack as a backdrop for speeches and getting his conference to sing God Save the King.
All of that has contributed to Sir Keir’s message of change. He spent the campaign arguing he had changed Labour and could change the country too.
The election result will also mean change for the Starmer family.
Sir Keir, now 61, married his wife Victoria in 2007. Her intention is to keep working for the NHS in occupational health as he serves as prime minister.
Lady Starmer has been seen at some high-profile events like conference speeches, a rally last week – and at a Taylor Swift gig. But she is unlikely to play as prominent a role in public life as some partners have in the past.
Sir Keir though has been candid about the impact high office could have, particularly on his teenage son and daughter.
He told the BBC in 2021: “I am worried about my children. That is probably the single thing that does keep me awake – as to how we will protect them through this.”
It’s a challenge the Starmers will now face as they move into Downing Street at the end of a testing, far from straightforward, journey.
