Labor's election victory - Keir Starmer is the new British Prime Minister
Keir Starmer is the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. King Charles III has commissioned the Social Democrats with government formation. The 61-year-old won a clear victory in the parliamentary election, displacing the Conservative Party, which had governed Britain for 14 years.
Starmer succeeds Rishi Sunak as the former. He is a lawyer, worked as a human rights lawyer, and was the head of the Crown Prosecution Service. He has led the Labour Party for four years.
Return to the EU is off the table
The new prime minister faces numerous challenges in the country - for instance, the overburdened National Health Service (NHS), housing issues, or how the country intends to deal with immigration. Major issues in the United Kingdom also include rising living costs.
Politically, he promises economic stability, a better healthcare system, and stronger border control. He intends to establish a national enterprise for energy supply and hire more teachers. He plans to scrap the previous government's plan to deport irregular migrants to Rwanda, regardless of their origin. A return of his country to the EU is not an option.
Starmer still needs to win over the people
The politician, who is often perceived as boring, does not arouse enthusiasm among the British people for his move into Downing Street. His overwhelming victory in the parliamentary election is more likely to be seen as a desire for change rather than an endorsement of his political vision for the country.
In many policy areas, he remained vague during the campaign. Therefore, it is eagerly anticipated what changes he will introduce and whether he can win the people of Britain over.
Starmer took over the leadership of the Labour Party from Jeremy Corbyn, who was criticized for not dealing decisively with antisemitism within his party. Starmer led the party back to the political center and took a firm stance against antisemitic tendencies. However, the conflict in Gaza often caused tensions within his party, which traditionally has leanings towards the Palestinians.
Friday evenings are for family
In his election campaign, Starmer often emphasized that his father was a toolmaker and his mother a nurse. Since his mother was seriously ill, Starmer took on responsibilities in the family at a young age, as his biographer Tom Baldwin writes.
Starmer is a football fan and a supporter of the London Premier League team, Arsenal. After his election victory, he also intends to make time for himself to occasionally play football. Friday evenings, he wants to keep free for his wife Victoria and his two teenage children.
- Keir Starmer's victory in the parliamentary election marked a clear defeat for the Conservative Party, which had been in power in Great Britain for 14 years.
- As the new Prime Minister, Starmer will be working under the commission of King Charles III, who has appointed the Social Democrats for government formation.
- Starmer's political promises include economic stability, a better healthcare system, and stronger border control, as well as establishing a national enterprise for energy supply and hiring more teachers.
- Despite his clear election victory, Starmer is not universally popular with the British people, who may perceive him as boring and view his move into Downing Street as a desire for change rather than an endorsement of his political vision.
- In his capacity as a human rights lawyer and head of the Crown Prosecution Service, Starmer has taken a firm stance against antisemitic tendencies within his party, following in the footsteps of his predecessor Jeremey Corbyn.
- Starmer, who is a football fan and supporter of Arsenal, intends to make time for his family during his tenure as Prime Minister, setting aside Friday evenings for his wife Victoria and their two teenage children.
