Sir Keir Starmer is a British politician and the current leader of the Labor Party as of April 2020. He has also been the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) since 2024. Born in 1962 in Southwark, London, he was actually named after Keir Hardie, the founder of the Labor Party. Before becoming involved in politics, Starmer had a successful legal career and was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 2002, then held the position of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) between 2008 and 2013. This legal career earned him a reputation as an honest, hardworking, and deeply committed advocate of justice.
Starmer was elected Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras in 2015. As an MP, he rapidly climbed the Labor Party hierarchy and became Shadow Brexit Secretary to Jeremy Corbyn.
He was a stellar critic of the Conservative government's Brexit plans, campaigning for a second referendum, and made attempts to secure close relationships with the European Union. Following Labor's 2019 pervasive election loss, Starmer was elected as the party leader on a unifying, competent, and electable basis. He has since concentrated on transforming the party, moving it away from premature scandals and rebranding Labor as centrist politically. He has prioritized themes of efficient recovery, public services, security, and trust in politics.
Starmer's leadership approach is generally characterized as measured and conservative, seeking to make Labor an effective government-in-waiting. With his leadership, the party has gained popularity in vital regions, and he is widely considered a top candidate to be the next Prime Minister in the next general election.
The latest episode of India Today Explains covers five major national and global developments. First, a major controversy has erupted over the alleged misappropriation of nearly seven crore rupees from donation funds at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
DMK Chief MK Stalin, who is currently not a member of the assembly after his defeat in Kolathur, could contest upcoming by-polls from Tiruchirappalli East, according to sources.
Starmer stepped out of 10 Downing Street with his wife, Victoria, receiving cheers and applause, before delivering his resignation statement. He also recalled the period as "the proudest moment" of his life and said he entered politics with the aim of changing the lives of millions of people.
The British government faces renewed political instability as Keir Starmer on Monday announced he would be stepping down as Prime Minister, following intense pressure from within the ruling Labour Party. The resignation comes in the wake of the party's poor performance in recent local body elections, which led to mounting demands from Starmer's cabinet colleagues and Labour MPs for a change of guard. This marks the sixth time a prime minister has resigned in the UK over the past decade, highlighting an ongoing period of political and economic turbulence. Andy Burnham, a prominent politician who is recognised for his strong communication skills, is currently anticipated to take over the leadership role and stabilise the administration. PM Starmer formally communicated his decision to resign to the monarch and requested the national executive committee to establish a timetable for leadership nominations, scheduled to open in early July. The upcoming transition reflects broader challenges regarding economic management and immigration policies that have consistently impacted successive administrations.
Ahead of the June 21 NEET re-examination, candidates faced technical glitches on the National Testing Agency website while downloading admit cards.
The latest edition of Statecraft covers major geopolitical shifts as US President Donald Trump arrives in Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. The visit, occurring amid the ongoing West Asia conflict and the Strait of Hormuz blockade, focusses on trade, tariffs, and the Iran war.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom will host a meeting of approximately 35 countries this week to discuss the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on European allies, particularly the United Kingdom and France, for refusing to support the United States in its operations against Iran.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned an arson attack on Jewish community ambulances in Golders Green, North London, calling anti-semitism a 'poison' and describing the incident as an attack on the entire nation.
The West Asia conflict has intensified as Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Iraq.
The conflict in West Asia has intensified following the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in large-scale US-Israeli airstrikes on Sunday.
President Donald Trump has expressed disappointment with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer for blocking the use of Diego Garcia base to carry out strikes on Iran.
Iran launched an unprecedented drone attack on the United Kingdom's Akrotiri air base in Cyprus, prompting the complete evacuation of British forces from the strategic facility.
Former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in London on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The Kerala Story sequel is at the center of a political firestorm in Kerala. After the release of the trailer of The Kerala Story 2, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called the sequel a hate-mongering film, accusing it of pushing a communal agenda.
The global fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files has reached a historic turning point with the arrest of former British royal Prince Andrew by Thames Valley Police on charges of misconduct in public office.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who finally spoke in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, launched his most direct and scathing attack on the Modi government, accusing the centre of selling national interest to the United States in the trade deal.
The Epstein saga has not only rocked American politics, but seems to be leading to the unseating of the British Premier. Sir Keir Starmer faces the most difficult time of his Prime Ministership for the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the UK Ambassador to the United States.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday that India and the US are expected to finalise and sign a joint statement on the first tranche of the bilateral trade agreement within 4-5 days.
On this edition of India Today Global, Geeta Mohan examines the shifting global alliances as US President Donald Trump’s 'confrontational trade and foreign policies' push traditional allies toward China. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit to revive economic engagement, marking the first such trip by a UK leader since 2018. The programme also highlights India’s growing diplomatic footprint as New Delhi prepares to host over 10 Arab foreign ministers for the second India-Arab Foreign Ministers Meeting on January 30-31. Discussions are expected to cover regional stability, the Palestinian issue, and the launch of the India and Arab Countries Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, the report covers the strengthening of India-Canada energy ties during India Energy Week in Goa and the escalating tensions between the Trump administration and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over tariff threats and economic sovereignty following the US capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
