Most of us are familiar with Keir Starmer’s political career, but you might not know as much about his wife and children.
Earlier this morning, Victoria Starmer made an appearance during the outgoing Prime Minister’s resignation speech, where he set out an exit plan which will see him leave No 10 by September.
Starmer fought back tears as he said stepping down would allow him to spend more time ‘on the most important job’ of being a good husband to Victoria and father to their two children.
Throughout his leadership, Starmer has also made references to the rest of his family, including his toolmaker father, repeatedly stressing that he is an ordinary man from a working-class background.
So what do we know about Starmer’s family life?
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Who is Keir Starmer’s wife Victoria and what is her job?
Victoria Starmer, born Victoria Alexander, trained as a solicitor and now works in occupational health for the NHS.
Speaking to the Mirror, Starmer said Victoria loves her job and that it gives him ‘a direct line of sight, on a daily basis, into the challenges of the NHS and the morale of the staff.’
Victoria was raised in north London and studied law and sociology at Cardiff University.
She was heavily involved in politics during her time there and became president of the student union in 1994 before volunteering at Tony Blair’s campaign headquarters once she moved back to London.
How did Starmer and Victoria meet?
The Prime Minister met his wife when Victoria was working for a law firm preparing case files for him.
Sir Keir previously told British Vogue that after demanding to speak to the person responsible for some court documents to check their accuracy, he was put in touch with his now-wife.
Before he hung up, Starmer heard Victoria (or ‘Vic’ to him) say: ‘Who the f*** does he think he is?’
Despite the gaffe, she clearly managed to win him over, and the pair married in 2007.
Who are Keir Starmer’s children?
Keir and Victoria Starmer share two children, a son and a daughter.
The couple’s children have been raised as vegetarians and were given the choice to eat meat for the first time when they turned 10.
Starmer’s children have never been publicly named, and the Prime Minister has previously expressed how keen he is to protect their private life.
Speaking to Chris Evans on Virgin Radio in July 2024, he said: ‘We’ve had a structure in place that I try to keep to, which is to carve out really protected time for the kids.
‘So on a Friday – I’ve been doing this for years – I will not do a work-related thing after six o’clock, pretty well come what may.
‘Now there are a few exceptions, but that’s what we do.’
Where does Keir Starmer live?
Like the Prime Ministers and their families before them, Starmer and his wife Victoria live in 10 Downing Street.
But they also own the house in Kentish Town, north west London.
The pair moved out after Starmer’s election success last year, and their former home was rented to his sister-in-law.
The Camden home’s front door, along with a car also linked to Keir, were set alight in an arson attack back in May.
Two men were found guilty of the arson attacks and were instructed to do so by a Russian-linked social media channel.
Who are Keir Starmer’s parents?
Keir Starmer was born on September 2, 1962, in Southwark, South London, to Josephine Starmer (née Baker) and Rodney Starmer. He is the second of four children.
His mum was a nurse and his dad worked as a toolmaker, but Josephine was forced to give up her job after being diagnosed with Still’s Disease, an autoimmune condition.
Both of his parents have passed away, his mother shortly before he was elected to parliament in 2015, and his father in 2018.
Starmer has previously spoken of his regret at not being close with his father, who he described as ‘difficult’ and ‘complicated’.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, he said his dad would work 14-hour days, coming home ‘for his tea’ at 5pm before returning to work after an hour.
But he also said his dad had an ‘utter devotion and commitment’ to his mum.
Growing up in the small town of Oxted in Surrey, his parents were Labour Party supporters.
He was the first member of his family to graduate from university with a first-class honours degree from Leeds in 1985, followed by a Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) degree from the University of Oxford in 1986.
He worked as Director of Public Prosecutions – the head of the Crown Prosecution Service – between 2008 and 2013, and he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath following his five-year term.
Did his father own a factory?
Starmer has often spoken of his dad Rodney’s toolmaking profession and said it gave him ‘a deep respect for the dignity of work’.
There has been much speculation that Rodney actually owned the toolmaking factory where he worked, calling into question Starmer’s working-class credentials.
He has never addressed this speculation – some of which ran rife in political cartoons poking fun at the Labour leader – but thus far there’s no evidence to suggest that Rodney wasn’t the working-class man his son claims he was.
Who is Keir Starmer’s brother Nick?
Keir Starmer’s brother, Nick Starmer, died aged 60 on Boxing Day 2024 after battling cancer.
In a statement, Sir Keir said: ‘My brother Nick was a wonderful man.
‘He met all the challenges life threw at him with courage and good humour.
‘We will miss him very much. I would like to thank all those who treated and took care of Nick.
‘Their skill and compassion is very much appreciated.’
A biography on the prime minister written by former Labour adviser and journalist Tom Baldwin revealed Nick suffered complications during his birth, meaning he grew up with learning difficulties.
Sir Keir said Nick achieving a technical qualification was ‘against the odds’ because: ‘Nick was dealt a very different set of cards to me and he’s had problems all his life — problems I’ve never had to face’.
It also revealed the two brothers shared bunk beds in their family home and that Sir Keir was best man at Nick’s wedding.
The now Prime Minister recalled borrowing a car so his brother was not ‘driving his bride from the church in his beaten-up minivan, which had all his clothes in the back’.
Sir Keir also has two sisters, Anna and Nick’s twin, Katy.
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