The United Kingdom is set to hold parliamentary elections on Thursday, July 4, with Labour leader Keir Starmer poised to unseat current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The Conservative Party, which has been in power for 14 years, is trailing behind Labour in the polls, with Labour expected to secure around 40% of the vote compared to the Conservatives’ 20%.
In their final TV debate, both candidates launched personal attacks on each other’s credibility and that of their parties. Starmer accused the Conservative Party of causing “14 years of chaos,” while Sunak criticized Starmer for not being honest about migration, taxes, and women’s rights, and for not explaining how he would finance his expensive plans.
Starmer gained prominence as Shadow Minister for Brexit in 2016, advocating for a “soft Brexit” and a second referendum. Now, he wants to pursue closer cooperation with the European Union without reopening the Brexit debate.
Starmer studied law at the University of Leeds and the University of Oxford. He began his career as a human rights lawyer, assisting environmental activists and death row inmates. He later became an advisor to the Northern Irish Police and eventually rose to the top position in the British Public Prosecution Service.
Starmer was knighted in 2014 for his services to the legal system but prefers not to use the title “Sir” as it suggests elitism. Instead, he emphasizes his working-class background, with his father being a toolmaker and his mother a nurse.
Starmer is seen as a more moderate leader than his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn. He has shifted the party’s focus towards the political center, prioritizing economic growth, healthcare, clean energy, crime control, and education.
Starmer is named after Keir Hardie, the founder of the Labour Party. His parents were convinced socialists, and he has been politically active since his teenage years, joining the East Surrey Young Socialists at 16.
