A replay of our profile of the leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer - now Prime Minister. Adam is joined by Ailbhe Rea, associate editor at Bloomberg UK, and Tom Baldwin, author of Keir Starmer: The Biography, to chronicle Keir Starmer’s early life and political career. They discuss his family life, his legal career and how he rose to become leader of the Labour Party including behind-the-scenes details from those who know and work with him. This episode is part of a series where Newscast profiles each of the leaders of major political parties.
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During newscast's election cast coverage, we profiled each of the party leaders running in the 2024 general election.
We've been speaking to journalists who followed their careers and people who know these politicians very well to find out what they're really like.
And we're putting this profile of Keir Starmer back in the feed after he became prime minister following Labour's landslide in the general election.
You probably, if you follow politics like we do, already know that 61 year old Keir grew up in a pebble dash semi in Surrey, and that his dad was a toolmaker and that he was a lawyer before he entered politics and that he became Labour leader in 2020.
But in this episode, you will also hear about him living in a flat share which once featured a can't believe I'm going to say this bathtub full of vomit.
His early years as a, quote, radical human rights lawyer, and how he carefully planned every step of his leadership campaign, all while serving in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet.
We will cover all of that and some more on this episode of newscast.
Newscast, newscast from the BBC.
I grew up in a pebble dash semi.
My dad was a toolmaker.
The only thing that's boring is opposition.
It's the first time ever I've been able to say, well done, kia, get up, go home.
If he thinks that bothers me, he doesn't know me.
We go to the pub, we have the usual banter.
Well, I'm joined in the studio by Tom Baldwin, author of Keir Starmer the biography.
Hi, Tom.
Hello.
Remind us the origins of that, because actually it was originally meant to be you writing Keir Starmer's book for him, wasn't it?
It was.