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"Starmer" redirects here. For other people with this name, see Starmer (surname).

The Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP
Official portrait, 2024
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 July 2024
Monarch	Charles III
Preceded by	Rishi Sunak
Senior political offices 2020‍–‍present Leader of the Labour Party Incumbent Assumed office 4 April 2020 Deputy Angela Rayner Preceded by Jeremy Corbyn
Shadow portfolios 2015‍–‍2020 Shadow Secretary of State 2016–2020 Exiting the European Union Shadow Minister 2015–2016 Home Office
Parliamentary offices 2015‍–‍present Leader of the Opposition In office 4 April 2020 – 5 July 2024 Monarchs Elizabeth II Charles III Prime Minister Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak Preceded by Jeremy Corbyn Succeeded by Rishi Sunak Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras Incumbent Assumed office 7 May 2015 Preceded by Frank Dobson Majority 11,572 (30.0%)
Director of Public Prosecutions
In office 1 November 2008 – 1 November 2013
Appointed by	Patricia Scotland
Preceded by	Ken Macdonald
Succeeded by	Alison Saunders
Personal details
Born	Keir Rodney Starmer (1962-09-02) 2 September 1962 Southwark, London, England
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Victoria Alexander ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	2
Signature

Early life and education: 1962–1985

Reigate Grammar School, where Starmer studied (pictured in 2009)

Career

Legal career: 1987–2014

Main article: Legal career of Keir Starmer

Doughty Street Chambers

Director of Public Prosecutions: 2008–2013

Official portrait, 2009

 

Shadow cabinet: 2015–2020

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020

Leadership election: January–April 2020

Main article: 2020 Labour Party leadership election (UK)

Logo for Starmer's leadership bid

Leader of the Opposition: 2020–2024

Main article: Keir Starmer as Leader of the Opposition

Starmer's three prime ministers as leader of the Opposition: top to bottom—Johnson, Truss and Sunak

Sunak announced the date of the general election—4 July—on 22 May, with Parliament dissolved the following week. Labour's campaign messaging was characterised as "cautious" to avoid squandering their poll lead, compared by the media to a "carrying a Ming vase across a slippery floor". Its main points of emphasis were on the economy and the prospect of change after 14 years of Conservative-dominated government: the campaign, strategised by Morgan McSweeney, focused on spreading resources over as many marginal constituencies as possible and abandoning safe seats. On polling day, Labour posted a landslide victory. They became the largest party in every region in England, a first at any election for any group; in Scotland, where Labour had been reduced to just a single MP in 2019, they won 37 of 58 seats; and in Wales the governing party lost all 13 constituencies they had held previously. In total, Labour won 411 seats, although its overall vote share changed little from 2019, with the Labour government elected on the smallest percentage of any majority government in British history, in part because of the advance of smaller parties: the Green, Reform and Liberal parties all gained representation. Meanwhile, the Conservatives recorded their worst-ever result with under a quarter of the votes and 121 seats, representing a loss of 251: the following morning, Sunak resigned as prime minister.

Prime Minister: 2024–present

Main article: Premiership of Keir Starmer

Starmer chairing the first meeting of his cabinet

As the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, Starmer was appointed prime minister by Charles III on 5 July. His government, formed over the following days, included Reeves as the first female chancellor of the Exchequer; Cooper as home secretary; Lammy as foreign secretary; Streeting as health secretary; Bridget Phillipson as education secretary; Ed Miliband as energy secretary; Pat McFadden as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; Shabana Mahmood as justice secretary and lord chancellor; and Rayner as housing secretary and deputy prime minister. In his first days as prime minister Starmer announced the cancellation of the Rwanda asylum plan and the implementation of the replacement Border Security Command; toured the four countries of the UK, meeting with first ministers and regional mayors; and announced the council of nations and regions for devolved areas within Britain.

In July and August riots broke out in England and Northern Ireland following a mass stabbing in Southport which left three children dead. Starmer announced, first on 1 August a "national violent disorder programme" in an attempt to increase the gathering and fluidity of information and resources between police forces, and on 5 August a mobile force of specialist officers to tackle the rioting.

Political positions

Main article: Political positions of Keir Starmer

Starmer gives a press conference with the chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, as part of a tour to "reset" Britain's relations with members of the European Union

Notes and references

Notes

References

Sources

Books and journals

• Baldwin, Tom (2024). Keir Starmer: The Biography. William Collins. ISBN 978-0008661021.

• Dale, Iain, ed. (2020). The Prime Ministers: Three Hundred Years of Political Leadership. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1-529-31216-4.

• Payne, Sebastian (2022). The Fall of Boris Johnson: The Full Story. Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 978-1-03-501655-6.

• Riley-Smith, Ben (2023). The Right to Rule: Thirteen Years, Five Prime Ministers and the Implosion of the Tories. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1-39-981029-6.

• Seldon, Anthony; Egerton, Tom, eds. (2024). The Conservative Effect 2010–2024: 14 Wasted Years?. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781009473101.

• Seldon, Anthony; Meakin, Jonathan; Thoms, Illias; Egerton, Tom (2024). The Impossible Office?: The History of the British Prime Minister—Revised and Updated. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-009-42977-1.

• Seldon, Anthony; Meakin, Jonathan (2024). Truss at 10: How Not to Be Prime Minister. Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-1-80-546213-2.

• Seldon, Anthony; Newell, Raymond (2023). Johnson at 10: The Inside Story. Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-1-83-895802-2.

• Seldon, Anthony; Snowdon, Peter (2016). Cameron at 10: The Verdict. William Collins. ISBN 978-0-00-757551-0.