The British public elected a new government on Friday.
The British public elected a new government on Friday, and with that, a new family has moved into 10 Downing Street. Unlike other countries, when a new UK Prime Minister comes to power, the transition into the new role and home happens almost immediately. This means that not only Labour Party's Keir Starmer be settling into his home down the road from the House of Parliament, but so will his wife, Victoria Starmer, and their two children. So, who is Victoria Starmer, and what do we know about the new occupants of 10 Downing Street?
Who is Keir Starmer?
Keir Starmer was born on September 2, 1962, to parents Josephine Starmer and Rodney Starmer. He's the second of four children, per the BBC. He was raised by his toolmaker father and nurse mother, who suffered from Still's Disease, an autoimmune condition. He has previously spoken of his regret at not being close with his father, who he described as "difficult" and "complicated". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, he said his dad would work for 14-hour days, coming home for his tea at 5pm before returning to work after an hour. But he also said his dad had an "utter devotion and commitment" to his mother.
The Labour Party leader has previously also spoken about the challenges of growing up at a time of high inflation in 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," he added.
Growing up in the small town of Oxted in Surrey, Mr Starmer had a lot going on in his younger years. According to the BBC, he was obsessed with football and was a talented musician. He also had a rebellious streak. Once, he and his friends were caught by cops illegally selling ice cream on a French beach to raise cash.
Also Read | "Country First, Party Second": Keir Starmer In First Speech As UK PM
Coming to politics, Mr Starmer's parents were Labour Party supporters. His name was given to him as a tribute to the first leader of the Labour Party, Keir Hardie. Mr Starmer dabbled in left-wing politics over the course of his pre-parliamentary life. At school, he joined the Young Socialists, Labour's youth movement. Then after school, he became the first person in his family to go to university, studying law at Leeds University and later at Oxford.
Before venturing into politics, his legal career was his focus. In 2008, he became Director of Public Prosecutions, the chief prosecutor for England and Wales. He was then appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath following his five-year term.
Keir Starmer entered politics in 2015 as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras, quickly taking on key roles in the Labour Party. He served as Shadow Immigration Minister from 2015 to 2016.
Following Jeremy Corbyn's resignation in 2019, Mr Starmer was elected the Labour Party leader in 2020. Mr Starmer promised a culture change; his mantra - the country before the party. He opposed Britain's decision to leave the European Union but clarified that a Labour government would not rejoin the group, which now has 27 members.
Who is Victoria Starmer, Britain's new first lady?
Victoria Starmer married Keir Starmer in 2007 - the year before he became Director of Public Prosecution. They share two children, a son and a daughter.
According to the BBC, the two met each other in the early 2000s, when Mr Starmer wasn't a politician but a barrister. Victoria Starmer, on the other hand, was a solicitor at the time working on the same case.
Ms Starmer grew up in north London. Her father is a former accountant from a Polish-Jewish background and her mother was a community doctor. She attended Channing School before studying law and sociology at Cardiff University. While there, she got involved in student politics, becoming president of the student union in 1994. She also volunteered in Labour's campaign headquarters under Tony Blair before becoming a solicitor in a law firm. After that, she joined the NHS. Currently, Ms Starmer works in occupational health for the NHS.
Also Read | What Impact Will Keir Starmer's Win Have On India-UK Free Trade Deal
Speaking about their very first meeting, Mr Starmer once said, "I was doing a case in court and it all depended on whether the documents were accurate. I [asked the team] who actually drew up these documents, they said a woman called Victoria, so I said 'let's get her on the line." He grilled her forensically on the paper but as he hung up he heard one comment from her.
"She said, 'who the bleep does he think he is', then put the phone down on me," Mr Staremer said, adding, "And quite right too."
Despite the rocky beginnings, the relationship blossomed after a first date. He then proposed just a few months later on a holiday in Greece and they married in 2007 at the Fennes estate in Essex.
About Keir Starmer's family
Mr Starmer and his wife live in his constituency in Kentish Town, North West London. The couple have two teenage children - a 16-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter whom they never mention by name in public to protect their privacy.
Also Read | How Much Does A UK Prime Minister Earn? A Breakdown Of Perks And Benefits
The Starmers have kept a safe distance from the media during the election campaign. Keir Starmer insisted that she wished to focus on their son, who was taking his school-leaving exams this year. But she could not stop the press from mentioning her testimony in court last month in a case where three pro-Palestinian activists went on trial for protesting outside the family home against Labour's stance on Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. "I felt a bit sick, to be perfectly honest. I felt apprehensive and uncomfortable", she said.
In Downing Street, the Starmers intend to be "fiercely protective" of their children from the media spotlight to come, the Labour leader has said. "From the very start we took the decision that we would keep them as protected as we possibly can, so we won't have any photo shoots with the children and we don't name them in public," he told British broadcaster ITV's "This Morning" show.
The Starmers' main hopes were for their children to be "happy and confident," the new British Prime Minister said.