From Landslide Victory to Oval Office Summit: Prime Minister Starmer Reflects on His Journey and What His Parents Would Have Thought

Keir Starmer's overwhelming electoral victory, his thoughts on the presidency, and his reflections on his late parents

In a conversation with Sky's Beth Rigby, the newly appointed Prime Minister expressed, "There's a significant part of me that regrets they couldn't witness this [his entry into Number 10], as it would have been incredibly meaningful for them."

Political correspondent @BethRigby

Friday, July 12, 2024, 6:

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Picture yourself as Sir Keir Starmer.

Within a week, he has swiftly risen to become the most victorious politician in elections since Tony Blair, following his overwhelming electoral win. Shortly after, he traveled to Washington to attend a major global summit and to meet with the US president in the Oval Office for the first time.

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The past few days have been a flurry of activity, and it's safe to say that as he took a seat in that iconic office alongside President Biden, and as we sat down for our initial interview since his appointment as prime minister, he seemed to be absorbing the gravity of the moment.

On a personal note, he shared insights on the sensation of achieving victory from a disadvantaged start, likening it to beginning a challenge trailing by six points. He also reflected on the significance of being one of the rare prime ministers to come from a working-class background in this nation.

When questioned about his reaction to being addressed as prime for the first time by the president, Sir Keir responded with a smile, stating, "It felt very good."

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During our conversation, he grew somewhat emotional when I inquired how his deceased parents, Jo and Rodney, would have felt about their son entering 10 Downing Street.

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Sir Keir, with a smile tinged with emotion, remarked, "They would have really appreciated that." He added, slightly choked up, "A big part of me truly hoped they could have witnessed it, as it would have meant so much to them."

"Clearly, they are no longer here. They'll miss that experience. However, I must admit that it has crossed my mind."

During the Platinum Jubile celebration, Sir Keir mentioned that one of the most memorable moments for them was seeing their son being knighted at Buckingham Palace.

Did he feel a mix of joy and sadness upon reaching the pinnacle of leadership, knowing they couldn’t witness it?

"It wasn't exactly bittersweet, but I really wished they could have been there, and unfortunately, they weren't," he explained.

"Vic [his wife] tragically lost her mother during the Labour leadership contest. Consequently, both of us spent some time reflecting and talking about it."

"It would have been wonderful for our parents to attend. Unfortunately, they couldn't, yet we smiled, knowing well what their thoughts would have been if they had been present."

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The new office has also brought an increase in confidence. As prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer is showing much less hesitation compared to his earlier days as the leader of the opposition, when he was striving to gain power.

He appeared hesitant to include significant policy details in his manifesto, likely concerned about limiting his options or alienating voters. However, now that he holds the position of Prime Minister, he appears much more inclined to openly express his opinions.

In response to my questions about President Biden's mental sharpness amidst debates on his running for another term, the prime minister spoke candidly.

"Sir Keir mentioned, 'We moved quickly and he was quite cooperative with me.'"

Upon questioning him twice about whether the critiques directed at the president were unwarranted, he responded with a straightforward "yes." He further elaborated, "Personally, I think he performed well and we faced many challenges."

"I was clearly eager to talk about Ukraine, but we also covered many other topics during our discussion last night."

Following an effective trip to the White House, warm embraces with President Macron, and discussions with Chancellor Scholz and President Zelenskyy among others, Sir Keir's recent engagements over the last two days are being hailed as a major success at Number 10. Aides are notably satisfied, as the prime minister highlighted in our conversation, that his scheduled meeting with President Biden exceeded the planned time.

He and his colleagues are aware that this trip might be the only one he undertakes without any complications, and throughout the interview, there were indications of the challenges that lay ahead.

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Regarding the topic of defense budgets and NATO's trajectory under the possibility of Trump returning to office, Sir Keir avoided discussing U.S. internal affairs, yet he recognized that European nations need to boost their defense expenditures.

"Regarding the support from all NATO members, it's accurate to state that we all need to increase our contributions. This was a major topic during yesterday's council meeting, especially concerning Ukraine."

Despite persistent questioning, he remained non-committal on the timeline for raising defense spending to 2.5%.

I suggested to him that without it, his promise was more of an aspiration than a true obligation, a notion he vehemently denied.

"The gravity of the situation is why I intend to outline a strategy for addressing it within our financial guidelines," the prime minister stated. "Choosing a random date without careful consideration would be irresponsible."

"I won't specify a timeline since it will align with our budgetary regulations."

He dismissed the idea that he wasn't backing up his statements with financial support, stating, "In the 14 years prior to the government transition, we saw nothing but random deadlines and insufficient budget allocations to meet those goals, resulting in repeated failures to achieve them."

"We've evolved, moving away from our previous approach to politics. We're embracing a new, more serious and pragmatic style. We are committed to achieving our goals."

How he can reconcile his promise of achieving a 2.5% goal as a "commitment to fulfill" without linking it specifically to his initial term in office presents a paradox.

Should he aim to achieve his goal, he must fulfill his promise during his initial term. I believe this issue will continue to emerge in his defense review and throughout his leadership, especially if he chooses not to make a commitment during his first term.

It's clear why Sir Keir is proceeding with caution as he reviews his priorities and contemplates where to allocate valuable resources.

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He faces a critical issue with the prisons, which are currently struggling due to a lack of available space.

Sir Keir expressed to me, "My level of concern is immense. I was aware there was an issue, and indeed there is. It has now escalated beyond what we initially anticipated."

"I am truly astonished by what I've witnessed, especially given my extensive background in criminal justice. It is a fundamental role of government to ensure there are sufficient prison spaces available for those sentenced by the courts."

The administration is expected to declare, potentially within the week, that it may need to free up to 20,000 inmates in the near future to alleviate overcrowding.

"He expressed his surprise at having to deal with this issue," he said to me.

These issues have now become his responsibility. From addressing conditions in prisons to managing NHS queues, from allocating defense funds to tackling child poverty, and numerous other concerns.

The initial seven days have been a flurry of activity for an individual and an administration eager to demonstrate their readiness to take immediate action.

The prime minister fully understands the enormity of the challenges he faces. Currently, he attributes these difficulties to the previous government. However, as time progresses, the responsibility will shift to him.

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