Keir Starmer by Tom Baldwin: The 21 most startling revelations from the new biography of the Labour leader
Keir Starmer is odds on to become the Prime Minister later this year. But little is known about the personal life of the 62-year-old Labour leader and former human rights lawyer. A new biography by writer and former Labour adviser to Ed Miliband Tom Baldwin gives the clearest picture of the man so far, with details of his tough childhood and information about his romantic life. Here are some of the things you need to know:
He constantly feared his ill mother would die
The book reveals the extent of Starmer’s mother Josephine’s health problems – she suffered from Still’s disease from her teens. That meant severe joint pain, and using a wheelchair throughout Starmer’s childhood. Josephine (known as Jo) had her four children in her early twenties, as doctors warned her she wouldn’t be able to later. There was constant concern, and hospital visits were routine. Starmer told Baldwin: “The phone in the kitchen rang. It was Dad saying he didn’t think Mum was going to make it. He wanted me to warn the others.” He tried to stay up all night in case his father rang again. Jo pulled through, and lived until 2015, just before Starmer became an MP.
Starmer’s father Rodney was an oppressive presence
The book reveals that Rodney Starmer (who gave Starmer his middle name) could be a difficult man. The young Starmers – including sisters Katy and Anna and brother Nick – weren’t allowed to watch normal TV, or listen to pop on the radio. If they did, Rodney would come in and play his classical music instead. On the rare occasions they went out, Rodney would just “sit
