Keir Starmer is a British politician and former lawyer who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since July 2024. Leader of the Labour Party since 2020, he previously spent three decades in law — including five years as Director of Public Prosecutions — before entering Parliament in 2015.
| Full Name | Keir Rodney Starmer |
| Born | 2 September 1962, Southwark, London, England |
| Age | 63 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Occupation | Politician, former barrister |
| Known For | UK Prime Minister since 2024, Labour Party leader, former Director of Public Prosecutions |
Early Life and Education
Starmer was born in Southwark, London, and grew up in Oxted, Surrey, the second of four children. His father, Rodney, was a toolmaker; his mother, Josephine, was a nurse who lived with Still’s disease, a serious autoimmune condition. He attended Reigate Grammar School, then read law at the University of Leeds — the first in his family to go to university — and completed postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford, qualifying as a barrister in 1987.
Legal Career and Director of Public Prosecutions
Starmer specialised in human-rights law at Doughty Street Chambers, working on death-penalty cases in the Caribbean and Africa and serving as a human-rights adviser in Northern Ireland. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2002. In 2008 he became Director of Public Prosecutions and head of the Crown Prosecution Service, overseeing high-profile cases including the Stephen Lawrence murder retrial and prosecutions arising from the 2011 riots, before stepping down in 2013. He was knighted in 2014 for services to law and criminal justice.
MP, Labour Leader and Prime Minister
Starmer was elected MP for Holborn and St Pancras in 2015 and held front-bench roles including Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union under Jeremy Corbyn. After Labour’s 2019 election defeat he won the party leadership in April 2020. At the general election of 4 July 2024 Labour won a large parliamentary majority, and Starmer became Prime Minister the following day, appointing a cabinet that included the UK’s first female Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves.
Policies and Government
Starmer’s government has organised its programme around stated ‘missions’ covering economic growth, the NHS, clean energy, crime and education, and has passed measures including the creation of the publicly owned Great British Energy company and an Employment Rights Bill. His premiership has also dealt with international issues including continued UK support for Ukraine and trade discussions with the United States and the European Union.
Personal Life
Starmer married Victoria Alexander, a former solicitor who works in the NHS, in 2007; the couple have two children and live in north London. He is a keen amateur footballer and an Arsenal supporter. He has described his family background — a toolmaker father and a mother with chronic illness — as central to his political outlook.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Keir Starmer?
He was born on 2 September 1962, making him 63 years old in 2026 and turning 64 that September.
When did Keir Starmer become Prime Minister?
On 5 July 2024, after the Labour Party won the general election held the previous day.
What did Keir Starmer do before politics?
He was a human-rights barrister and, from 2008 to 2013, Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales.
Why is he called Sir Keir Starmer?
He was knighted in 2014 for services to law and criminal justice, following his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions.
Related Biographies
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Net worth and salary figures are estimates based on publicly available sources and may change over time.
