Keir Starmer's journey from poverty to 10 Downing Street
London - Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, who recently achieved a historic victory in the UK general election, is set to become the next Prime Minister of Britain. Starmer, who once lived in poverty and had his education funded by others, is now poised to take residence at 10 Downing Street.
Keir Starmer, 61, has promised to work for all citizens, regardless of their voting choices. "I will work for the interests of every person," he said. "I will speak for you. I will fight for you every day. I am ready for change. The change is starting now. This is your democracy. Your community and your future. You have voted, and now it is time for us to deliver results."
Before leading the opposition, Starmer was a lawyer in England and Wales from 2008 to 2013. He became Labour Party leader in 2020, steering the party from a leftist stance to a more centrist approach. Representing the Hoborn and St Pancras constituency since 2015, Starmer has a working-class background. His father was a toolmaker, and his mother, a nurse, suffered from Still's disease, a rare autoimmune condition.
Starmer's education journey began at Reigate Grammar School, where a local council funded his fees until age 16. He was the first in his family to attend university, studying law at Leeds University and later at Oxford University. He became a barrister in 1987, specializing in human rights law, and worked in the Caribbean and Africa, representing prisoners facing the death penalty. In 1997, he represented the McLibel activists pro bono.
In 2008, Starmer was elected Director of Public Prosecutions, the most senior position in England and Wales for criminal prosecution. He became an MP in 2015 and served as Brexit Secretary on Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn's frontbench team. After Labour's defeat in the 2019 general election, Starmer became party leader in 2020, pledging to lead Labour "into a new era with confidence and hope."
Starmer's historic victory in the general election marks a significant milestone in his journey from a working-class background to the pinnacle of British politics. As he prepares to move into 10 Downing Street, the nation awaits the changes he promises to bring.