Sir Keir Starmer

Sep 2, 1962: Keir Rodney Starmer born in London, England. One of four children of Rodney and Josephine Starmer

Education: Reigate Grammar School

1979-80: Attends London’s Guildhall School of Music, plays flute, piano, recorder and violin

1985-86: Graduates from University of Leeds with law degree. Postgraduate bachelor of civil law degree at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford

1986-87: Starmer jointly edits Marxist magazine Socialist Alternatives

1987: Starmer begins practising as barrister at London’s Inns of Court

1990: Co-founds Doughty Street Chambers legal practice. Promotes human rights and civil liberties in UK and abroad

2002: Appointed Queen’s Counsel (QC) and member of Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s death penalty advisory panel

2003–08: Serves as human rights adviser to Northern Ireland Policing Board

2007: Marries Victoria (inset). Couple have son and daughter and live in North London

2008-13: Appointed Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) by then Labour government

2010-12: Starmer oversees prosecution of MPs for abusing their expenses, journalists for phone-hacking, and rioters involved in 2011 unrest across England

2014: Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his service to law and criminal justice. It is usual to honour DPPs after completing their tenure

May 2015: Elected to House of Commons as MP for London constituency of Holborn and St. Pancras.
         
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (above), appoints Starmer shadow home secretary
       
Apr 2020: Starmer elected Labour leader, winning 56% of vote

Mar 2021: Starmer plans changes to Labour rules governing how party elects leaders by cutting influence of left-wing membership

Sep: Labour Party’s 2021 conference in Brighton votes on Starmer’s rule changes, which are roundly opposed by left within trade unions and constituencies.

Although he wins with margin of just 54-46% of delegate votes at conference, Starmer emerges triumphant with tighter grip on party
 
Jun 17, 2024: Sir Keir Starmer launches Labour’s manifesto with promise not to “increase taxes on working people” and pledge to recognise Palestinian state

Jul 4, 2024: Sir Keir Starmer leads Labour Party to landslide victory in General Election and is set to become new UK Prime Minister
             

Sources: Agence France-Presse, Classic FM, Financial Times, The Spectator 
Pictures: Getty Images 
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