Keir Rodney Starmer (born 2 September 1962, London) is a British politician and lawyer who led the Labour Party in the United Kingdom and served as Prime Minister. Raised in a working-class family, Starmer practiced human rights law after completing his legal education and served as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2008 to 2013. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Holborn and St Pancras constituency in 2015 and succeeded Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party in April 2020, leading his party to victory in the July 2024 general election. On 22 June 2026, he announced his intention to step down from both party leadership and the premiership.

^{UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, 10 June 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

Keir Starmer was born on 2 September 1962 in London. His father, Rodney Starmer, was a toolmaker in a factory, and his mother, Josephine (Baker) Starmer, was a nurse. The eldest of four children, Starmer grew up in the town of Oxted near the Kent-Surrey border. It is reported that his first name was given in honor of Keir Hardie, the first leader of the Labour Party in Parliament.

Starmer attended Reigate Grammar School and then studied law at Leeds University, becoming the first in his family to attend university. He graduated with a first-class law degree from Leeds University in 1985 and completed his Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) at Oxford University in 1986.

In his youth, he was interested in music and played the flute, piano, violin and recorder. He began playing the violin alongside Norman Cook, who later became known for his music career.

Starmer was called to the bar in 1987 and began his practice at Middle Temple. He worked in the private sector before serving as a legal adviser to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, one of the institutional structures established after the Good Friday Agreement. On 9 April 2002, he was appointed Queen’s Counsel (QC).

In 2008, he was appointed Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and led the Crown Prosecution Service for England and Wales until 2013. During his tenure, he was responsible for overseeing the conduct of criminal prosecutions and the administrative operations of the institution.

In 2014, Starmer was knighted by Prince Charles of Wales in recognition of his work in the field of criminal justice.

Starmer’s active entry into politics occurred in 2015. On 7 May 2015, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Holborn and St Pancras constituency. Within the Labour Party, he held various roles. From 8 July 2015 to 26 October 2015, he served as Shadow Minister for the Home Office, and from 6 October 2016 to 4 April 2020, he was Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.

He emerged as one of the leading voices within the party during debates on Brexit. On 4 April 2020, he was elected leader of the Labour Party, succeeding Jeremy Corbyn. During his leadership, he also served as Leader of HM Official Opposition from 4 April 2020 to 5 July 2024.

In 2021, his party lost the Hartlepool by-election. By November 2021, several public opinion polls showed the Labour Party ahead of the Conservative Party. During his leadership, Jeremy Corbyn was expelled from the parliamentary group and was no longer presented as a Labour Party candidate.

In the general election held on 4 July 2024, the Labour Party gained a parliamentary majority, ending 14 years of Conservative Party rule. Starmer formed a government following the election result, succeeding Rishi Sunak and securing a majority of 174 seats. On 5 July 2024, he assumed office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. During his premiership, he also held the positions of First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Minister for the Union.

^{UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, 10 June 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

On 21 September 2025, he announced that the United Kingdom would formally recognize a Palestinian state. On 29 January 2026, he met in Beijing with the President of China, Xi Jinping; this visit marked the first by a British Prime Minister to China in eight years.

22 June 2026: Keir Starmer announced his intention to step down as leader of the Labour Party and as Prime Minister. The announcement followed electoral losses for the party in the May 2026 local elections and mounting criticism from within the party.

In a statement outside 10 Downing Street in London, he stated that he would remain in office until a new leader was elected and that a orderly transition process would be conducted. In his speech, he described the day he first entered 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister as one of the most significant moments in his life.

^{UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, 10 June 2026 - (Anadolu Ajansı)}

Keir Starmer married Victoria Alexander in 2007. The couple has two children, one son and one daughter. Victoria Starmer works within the NHS. Starmer is described as an atheist. An avid football fan, he supports Arsenal.

Starmer served as a human rights adviser to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, which operated during the process of restructuring the policing system in Northern Ireland following the 1998 peace agreement aimed at ending sectarian conflict on the island of Ireland.