Transcription
The lawyer turned politician, celebrating in Downing Street as Labour's first prime minister in 14 years. A sea change in British politics. A promise of a new age of sense and stability. Now all over.
Raised in Surrey, Karma was born to a working-class family. His mother, an NHS nurse, suffered from lifelong chronic illness, and his father was a toolmaker, something Starmer would later say shaped his political outlook. But as an MP, his frequent mentions of his dad's profession would trigger mocking.
"But when I grew up, my dad was a tool maker. He worked in a factory. It's true, my mom was a nurse, and actually we couldn't make ends meet, which actually isn't a laughing matter. We couldn't make ends meet."
A keen musician, Starmer was politically active at a young age, too. Joining Labour at 16, he attended a grammar school which led to university in Leeds then Oxford and a career as a leading human rights barrister. That would take him to Northern Ireland where he served as an adviser to the police in the years after the Good Friday Agreement. And he worked pro bono in Uganda to overturn the country's mandatory death penalty laws.
It was while a lawyer that he met his future wife Vic, a solicitor turned NHS worker with whom he'd have two children. A keen footballer, Star carried on playing Sunday games while prime minister and maintained a love of Arsenal, holding a season ticket for the club.
It was in 2008 that his profile really began to rise when he was appointed director of public prosecutions, aged just 45.
"I see the CPS as a modern, transparent um prosecuting authority."
Here he pushed through prosecutions for the racist murder of Steven Lawrence and oversaw legal action against MPs for expenses fraud. He spent most of his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile.
"But after the crimes of Jimmy Savile came to light, Starmmer was forced to apologize for institutional shortcomings after a failure to prosecute the pedophile media personality."
After closing his term in charge in 2013, Star was knighted and began to look to the future. That would bring him to Westminster as the MP for the safe north London seat of Hoben and St Pancras. Elected amid Labour's 2015 loss, Starmer backed future rival Andy Burnham for leader. But when Jeremy Corbyn won, the new MP still joined his top team, eventually serving in the high-profile job of shadow Brexit secretary. As negotiations with Brussels stuttered, Starmer began to adopt an increasingly pro-EU approach, forcing Labour policy to full backing of a second referendum.
"We always said a public vote should be an option. We're now implementing that."
Never a full-throated Corbyn supporter, Star kept a low profile in the 2019 election campaign. When Labour lost badly to Boris Johnson, his supporters spied an opportunity to take control.
"I'm standing for leader of Labour Party because I want to be in that fight."
Running for leader, Starmer pitched himself to the left, adopting Corbyn era policies.
"In the midst of the pandemic, Starmer was victorious, making his first leaders speech remotely due to COVID restrictions."
"Under my leadership, we will engage constructively with the government."
Now in charge, Starmer and his allies quickly reshaped the party and moved it to the centre. Left-wing promises were junked. And he also took a tough line on the anti-semitism scandal that took hold under his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, suspending his former boss from the party after he suggested the issue was exaggerated.
"The message was clear. Labour has changed."
"Take another look at Labour. We're under new leadership."
"GET OUT OF MY PUB."
But he didn't find favour everywhere. In 2021, this landlord kicked Starmer out of his pub over his support for COVID lockdown measures. There were electoral setbacks, too. Amid the successful vaccine roll out, Boris Johnson beat Labour in a by-election in the usually safe seat of Hartley. Star would later admit he'd considered resigning over the loss.
A botched front bench reshuffle then triggered tension with Deputy Leader Angela Rayner after a failed attempt to demote her. But as the Tory government descended into chaos over lockdown parties, Labour started to stabilize. Liz Truss's disastrous time in office proved to be the full political turning point with Star now able to present his party as a safer, more credible choice that could restore integrity to public life.
"The government has lost control of the British economy."
The cautious approach was carried into the 2024 election campaign. A carefully staged managed affair. The party took few risks, relying on Tory misfortune and reassurances over tax rises, promises that would be pushed to the limit when in power.
"So no tax rises of any kind in the next parliament under Labour."
"No tax tax rises for working people and nothing in our manifesto requires tax rises over and above those that we have specifically set out."
The strategy worked. A huge majority handed to Labour and for Keir Starmer the keys to Downing Street.
"Now our country has voted decisively for change for national renewal and a return of politics to public service."
But amid the glory, the cracks were there. Dubbed the loveless landslide, Starmer had managed to cruise to victory on a historically low vote share.
"I welcome you to"
Nevertheless, the prime minister set about assembling his cabinet with top jobs for loyalists and other new Starmerite MPs handed ministerial roles too. An early test came as riots engulfed parts of the UK. Drawing on his legal background, Starmer struck a severe tone, threatening rioters with rapid prosecution and prison in a bid to quell the violence.
Change over. But the public finances presented bigger challenges with the new chancellor Rachel Reeves laying out a £22 billion pound black hole pinned on the Tory government.
"We have inherited a projected overspend of 22 billion pounds."
A gloomy tone later blamed for sapping corporate confidence.
But it was the axing of universal winter fuel payments that triggered a bigger backlash. Labour's first major mistake and one that would later be reversed, but not before it took chunks out of the party's political credibility.
Just because you controversy over suits and other freebies paid for by the billionaire businessman Lord Ali then ate away at the government's image of honesty, as did the sacking of transport secretary Louise Hague over a historic fraud conviction. Amid the bumpiness, fingers began to point at Starmer's chief of staff, Sue Gray, an experienced civil servant brought in to prepare Labour for power. She eventually resigned amid a power battle in number 10.
Labour's first full budget brought more divisions with employer national insurance increased, leading to accusations of broken promises.
"What does today's budget do? It raises tax on working people by increasing national insurance and breaking Labour's promise."
But it was the decision to put inheritance tax on farms that provoked the most anger. Another policy that was eventually watered down.
The new prime minister had more success on the world stage though, striking an unexpected friendship with the new US president.
"Can I present a letter from McCain? Thank you very much. Am I supposed to read it right now?"
"No, please do."
"That flattery paved the way for a US trade deal and lower tariffs for the UK with the second state visit for Donald Trump giving another opportunity for praise to be lavished on the president. Though relations cooled amid war in the Middle East with the White House criticizing Star for initially refusing to allow UK bases to be used by US forces."
"Unfortunately, Kier is not Winston Churchill."
Continuing a close relationship with Ukraine, Starmer backed up Vladimir Zelensky after attacks from the White House and led European efforts to assemble a peacekeeping force in the event of a deal with Russia. But as protests over the war in Gaza swept the UK, he faced anger from his own MPs for not going further in condemning the Israeli operation. The pursuit of closer ties with China also raised nerves amid evidence of espionage from Beijing.
But as the prime minister made friends abroad, foes were emerging at home. Nigel Farage's reform party surged in the polls and narrowly beat Labour in a by-election in the party's northern heartlands. With migration a key battleground, Starmer attacked Wright and hardened his tone.
"We risk becoming an island of strangers."
But those comments, reminiscent of Enoch Powell, irked MPs who forced their leader to disown them. Attempts to cut the benefits bill were also met with resistance with Starmer pressured to U-turn once again to avoid losing a Commons vote. And there was more political scandal as Angela Rayner resigned for not paying enough tax on a flat purchase. That resulted in a reshuffle and an attempted relaunch for the now beleaguered prime minister.
But Labour's second budget caused more drama. After extensive briefing around an income tax rise, the government conducted another U-turn, junking the policy days before the statement. But it was this familiar Labour face that did more damage than anyone else. The prime minister facing a barrage of criticism for appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador when he knew about his links with the pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The scandal pushed Keir Starmer to the edge with the Scottish Labour leader and apparent ally calling for him to resign.
"The distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change."
It also cost number 10's most senior adviser his job. Morgan McSweeney, the man who had masterminded Labour's election victory and shepherded Starmer throughout his frontline career out and forced to justify his championing of Peter Mandelson.
"The nature of the relationship that I understood he had with Epstein was not a close friendship. How I understood it at the time was a passing acquaintance."
"You wish you'd asked more questions about Mandelson, Prime Minister."
And there was more pressure for the prime minister as it emerged Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting before being appointed ambassador. Starmer said he hadn't been told and sacked his foreign office chief in response. But questions about his leadership remained.
"If you became convinced that you were holding the country back, that you were the problem, would you quit?"
"I made um a series of promises at the general election um and then we won the general election with a landslide victory and therefore I got a mandate to make the changes that I think are desperately needed in this country."
But a dismal set of election results followed with Labour falling to third place in Wales and losing 1500 council seats in England. It all triggered a meltdown in government.
Ed Miliband, is it time for Keir Starmer to stand down? Are you going to TELL HIM TO GO, SIR? Is it all over for Keir Starmer? Sir,
MPs and ministers resigned.
"We're streeting. Are you challenging for the Labour leadership? Sir,"
Starmer allies insisted the prime minister would not stand down.
"The Labour Party has a process for triggering a leadership election. That has not happened. This government will do what we were elected to do, which is serve the British people."
"Are you going to stand for the leadership, Mr. Streeting?"
But rivals also started to circle. The health secretary, Wes Streeting, quit, saying he'd lost confidence in the prime minister.
"I do hereby declare that Andy Burnham is duly elected. Thank you."
And after previously being blocked by number 10 from coming back as an MP, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was allowed to stand in the Makerfield by-election, beating his reform opponent convincingly and winning admirers across Labour in the process. His return to Westminster has now triggered the exit of the sixth prime minister in under a decade. Keir Starmer, the lawyer who leapt to power but didn't know how to use it. The politician who never quite seemed at home in politics. Rob Palk, Sky News in Westminster.