‘The Keir I Know’

Politics can often feel like a contest between personalities. The loudest voice. The sharpest soundbite. The quickest route to tomorrow’s headline

But the Keir Starmer I know is different.

He is not driven by celebrity or the pursuit of popularity. He is driven by a deep sense of public service, by duty, and by a belief that politics should be about improving people’s lives rather than advancing personal ambition.

Those qualities matter now more than ever.

When Keir became Prime Minister, he inherited a country battered by fourteen years of Conservative government. Trust in politics had been badly damaged. Public services had been stretched to breaking point. Economic instability had left families anxious about their futures, businesses uncertain about investing, and communities feeling neglected and forgotten.

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The challenges facing Britain were immense. The challenges facing democracies around the world were equally profound.

What has always struck me about Keir is his calm resolve in the face of those challenges. He does not panic. He does not grandstand. He does not govern by social media trend or newspaper headline. He studies the evidence, listens carefully, weighs the options and gets on with the serious business of government.

That approach is sometimes underestimated in modern politics. It should not be.

Under Keir’s leadership, Britain has begun to turn a corner. Inflation, which reached a peak of 11.1% under the Conservatives, has been brought back under control. As economic stability has returned, the Bank of England has been able to cut interest rates repeatedly, easing pressure on mortgage holders and helping families plan for the future with greater confidence.

The NHS is receiving its highest sustained levels of investment in a generation. Waiting lists, which reached record highs under the Conservative government, are now falling and have reached their lowest level since early 2023. Patients who had become accustomed to endless delays are finally beginning to see improvements in the care they receive.

Labour’s mission has never simply been to manage decline. It has been to rebuild opportunity.

That is why this government is taking action to lift record numbers of children out of poverty, investing in early years support, strengthening family finances and ensuring that every child has the chance to fulfil their potential regardless of where they grow up.

It is why we have acted to hold water companies accountable for years of unacceptable sewage dumping into our rivers and waterways. The public were right to be angry. For too long, companies were allowed to profit while our natural environment paid the price. Under Keir’s leadership and this Labour government, that era of impunity is coming to an end.

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It is why we are delivering a new era of energy security for Britain. For too long our country was exposed to international shocks because of short-term thinking and a failure to invest. By accelerating clean energy generation and strengthening our domestic energy resilience, we are protecting families from future volatility while creating the jobs and industries of tomorrow.

It is why we are restoring order to a migration and asylum system that had become increasingly chaotic. Net migration has fallen dramatically from the extraordinary levels reached under the previous government, with official figures now showing net migration at around 171,000. The asylum backlog has fallen substantially from the levels inherited from the Conservatives, while efforts to reduce costly asylum hotel use and tackle criminal people-smuggling gangs are beginning to show results.

At the same time, communities are seeing progress on crime and antisocial behaviour. Neighbourhood policing is being rebuilt after years of decline, helping restore the visible local policing presence that so many communities have missed. Knife assaults have fallen to a 25-year low.

Keir has also shown leadership beyond our shores.

His unwavering support for Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression has demonstrated Britain’s commitment to freedom, democracy and international law. He has strengthened relationships with our closest allies, rebuilt Britain’s standing on the world stage and worked to deepen cooperation with our European neighbours while maintaining a clear focus on Britain’s national interest.

At a time when democratic values are under pressure across the world, Keir’s leadership has been defined by seriousness, steadiness and principle.

That matters.

It may not always be fashionable. It may not generate viral clips or dominate social media. It may not satisfy those who confuse noise with leadership.

But there is something profoundly reassuring about having a Prime Minister who is more interested in governing than performing. More interested in delivering than showboating. More interested in solving problems than creating them.

The renationalisation of passenger rail services. Record increases in defence spending after years of Tory neglect. The rebuilding of our NHS. Investment in schools and skills. Economic stability replacing economic chaos. These are not small achievements. They are the foundations of national renewal.

No government gets everything right. No Prime Minister is perfect. But leadership should ultimately be judged by character as much as policy.

The Keir Starmer I know is decent. He is compassionate. He is kind. He is thoughtful. Above all, he is determined.

Determined to rebuild trust in politics.

Determined to strengthen our public services.

Determined to create opportunity for those who have been left behind.

Determined to ensure that Britain remains a confident, outward-looking democracy in an increasingly uncertain world.

That is a record worth defending.

There is another important point that should not be forgotten. Our party chose Keir Starmer to be its leader, and the British people chose him to be their Prime Minister. Those are two democratic mandates that deserve respect and careful consideration whatever Keir or the party choose to do next. 

We must be conscious that to change leader will invite incessant demands for an early General Election and risk distracting the government from the work of national renewal.

Whether you think changing leader is a mistake or not Labour’s responsibility is to remain focused on delivering for the country that elected us to govern. The British people elected a Labour government to govern, not to spend its time indulging Westminster psychodrama. 

And while our political opponents – not least Nigel Farage and those who would happily reverse the  progress we have made – seek to talk Britain down, Labour should never lose confidence in what we have achieved together. We should never join in with Farage and Reform’s dirty work of trashing our own record.

Because rebuilding a country after years of decline was never going to be easy.

But under Keir Starmer’s leadership, Britain is moving forward once again.

And that is why I am proud to serve alongside him, proud of what we have achieved since July 2024 and proud of what this government is delivering and has delivered under Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.

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