Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has won a historic victory in the UK general elections, marking a major change in British politics. Starmer is set to replace the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, whose Conservative Party was defeated.

Despite last-minute efforts by Sunak to win over voters, his attempts fell short. After the defeat, Sunak told his supporters in Richmond and Northern Allerton, “I am sorry. I take responsibility for the loss.”

At 61, Keir Starmer will be the oldest new prime minister in almost 50 years, having been elected to parliament just nine years ago.

Who is Keir Starmer?

Keir Starmer, a father of two, has a notable career before entering politics. “We must return politics to service,” he often said during his campaign, promising to prioritize the country over the party after 14 turbulent years of Conservative rule with five different prime ministers.

Named after Labour’s founding father, Keir Hardie, Starmer is one of the party’s most working-class leaders in decades.

Born on September 2, 1962, Starmer grew up in a modest home near London. His mother was seriously ill, and his father was emotionally distant. One of his siblings had learning difficulties, making his upbringing challenging.

A talented musician, Starmer took violin lessons with Norman Cook, who later became DJ Fatboy Slim. He studied law at Leeds and Oxford, advocating for leftist causes, including defending trade unions and death row inmates abroad.

In 2003, he took a job ensuring that police in Northern Ireland complied with human rights laws. Five years later, he became the director of public prosecutions (DPP) for England and Wales under Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He prosecuted MPs for abusing expenses, journalists for phone-hacking, and young rioters.

Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, Starmer rarely uses the title “Sir.” He entered parliament in 2015, representing a North London seat. His mother passed away just weeks before he was elected.

Starmer rebelled against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn over the EU referendum campaign but later rejoined the leadership team as Labour’s Brexit spokesman. After Corbyn led Labour to its worst defeat since 1935, Starmer moved the party back to the center, addressing anti-Semitism and purging Corbyn’s influence.

Will Starmer Cancel the UK’s Plan to Send Asylum Seekers to Rwanda?

In May 2024, Keir Starmer pledged to scrap the government’s Rwanda scheme “straight away” if his party wins the election.

The Labour leader said he would use the money saved to hire specialist investigators to tackle small boats crossing the Channel and to “smash” people-smuggling gangs using counter-terror powers.

Starmer argued that canceling the Rwanda scheme would free up £75m in the first year of a Labour government, allowing for the hiring of hundreds of extra investigators and intelligence agents.

The scheme, announced in 2022, was delayed by legal challenges and was set to start in July. Ministers hoped it would deter people from crossing the English Channel in small boats, but Labour believes it won’t stop people from trying to make the journey.

When asked about scrapping the scheme, Starmer said Labour would “get rid of the policy straight away.” He added, “I’m not going to continue a policy I don’t think is going to work, which is going to cost a fortune.” While he did not specify a target for reducing small boat crossings, Starmer said he wanted levels to drop “dramatically.”

“We will restore serious government to our borders, tackle this problem at the source, and replace the Rwanda policy permanently,” he added.

According to the UK’s National Audit Office, payments to Rwanda would cost £370m over five years, plus £120m if more than 300 people are moved, and £20,000 per individual relocated.