"He does not have the charisma of Tony Blair (former Labour Party Prime Minister)."
"Cautious and pragmatic, but boring."
"He might be the most underrated politician."
These are the evaluations pouring in from major foreign media about Keir Starmer (61), who led the Labour Party to a landslide victory in the UK snap general election on the 4th (local time), securing his position as the next Prime Minister. A former human rights lawyer, Starmer has been calling for change since becoming Labour Party leader in 2020, emphasizing that "economic growth and social justice must go hand in hand," and has shifted the party's traditionally left-leaning stance toward the center. Although he lacks the charisma or star quality shown by past UK leaders such as Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, his characteristic seriousness and pragmatism are considered his strengths.
Former Human Rights Lawyer... Entered Politics 9 Years Ago
On the night of the election, immediately after the polls closed at 10 p.m., broadcasters released exit poll results predicting that the Labour Party would secure 410 out of 650 seats in the House of Commons, achieving an outright majority. In response, Starmer expressed gratitude on his X (formerly Twitter) account, saying, "Thank you to everyone who campaigned for Labour in this election, and to everyone who voted for us and believed in the changed Labour Party." If the ongoing vote count matches the exit polls, Starmer will move into 10 Downing Street as the next Prime Minister.
Starmer's entry into politics is relatively recent, having spent much of his career in the legal field. Born in 1962 on the outskirts of London to a toolmaker father and a nurse mother, Starmer is regarded as "a figure who can claim working-class roots," unlike current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a Goldman Sachs alumnus with a billionaire wife. He was the first in his family to attend university. He also worked as an editor for the Trotskyist radical magazine ‘Socialist Alternatives.’ Although he has said he is not certain because he never heard directly from his late parents, his name is reportedly derived from Keir Hardie, the founder and first leader of the Labour Party.
After graduating from law school, Starmer worked as a human rights lawyer from 1987 and served as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for England and Wales from 2008 to 2013. British media refer to him as ‘Sir Keir Starmer’ due to the knighthood he received after completing his term as DPP. He was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2015, marking his full entry into politics, and was elected Labour Party leader in April 2020.
Taking over the Labour Party after its crushing defeat in the general election, Starmer transformed the party’s left-leaning image to the center, emphasizing "the country over the party." He withdrew the nationalization policy of the energy industry advocated by his strongly left-wing predecessor and announced support for the British military to shed the label of being anti-patriotic. Despite turmoil including thousands of supporters of former leader Jeremy Corbyn leaving the party, Starmer has steadily expanded his support base by maintaining a stance that stable economic growth, wealth creation, unwavering national security, and social justice must be achieved together.
The New York Times (NYT) praised him, saying, "In less than a decade since entering Parliament and less than five years since the election defeat, he has rebuilt the Labour Party into 'an electable party' with ruthless efficiency." The Economist also analyzed that "by removing Labour’s strongest toxicity, he eliminated the biggest obstacle to Labour’s victory." However, this approach has drawn both praise and criticism, with some arguing that the party lacks a clear identity. The Associated Press (AP) reported, "Critics say it is a lack of political principles, while supporters call it pragmatic."
"Boring" vs. "Pragmatic" Local Evaluations
The local evaluations of Starmer generally summarize as "serious," "pragmatic," "boring," and "lacking charisma." Former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson once mocked Starmer as "Captain Crasheroonie Snoozefest," implying he is dull, lacks energy, and fails to capture public attention. Despite being the leader of the main opposition party, he is considered to have less public recognition than Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing UK Independence Party, who is often called "the British Trump."
AP described him as "dutiful, managerial, and somewhat boring," adding that "he lacks the charisma of former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair." The NYT also defined Starmer in a UK-based article as "serious, intense, pragmatic, and lacking charisma."
On the other hand, Jill Rutter, a researcher at the UK think tank UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE), said, "He is so disciplined that some might call him boring," but added, "He may not excite people’s hearts, but he looks like a Prime Minister." This analysis suggests that his cautious and serious demeanor may actually earn public trust. Tom Baldwin, who wrote a biography of Starmer, emphasized that "he does not engage in the performative aspects of politics," highlighting his tendency to focus on solving problems practically, unlike other politicians.
UK Sky News reported through interviews with close aides that Starmer is "a serious and highly intelligent person," "someone with great inner confidence," and "persistent and sometimes ruthless." Starmer, a father of two, keeps his private life private. He is also a passionate fan of the football team Arsenal. There were rumors locally that Starmer inspired the character Mark Darcy in the Bridget Jones series, but author Helen Fielding directly denied this.
The Washington Post (WP) noted, "He was a left-wing lawyer who defended anarchists before prosecuting terrorists on behalf of the British monarchy. An anti-monarchist who later received a knighthood," adding, "It is hard to predict what kind of Prime Minister Starmer will be. He has used that ambiguity to his advantage." In another article, the outlet described Starmer as "possibly the most underrated politician."
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