Keir Starmer stunned the nation when he led the Labour party to victory in the General Elections for the first time after 14 years. The party won the majority by taking 412 out of 650 seats.
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After meeting King Charles, Starmer addressed the nation with his first speech as Prime Minister on Friday, July 5. With a clear stance on bringing back the trust of the public in politics, he said:
Now, this wound, this lack of trust, can only be healed by actions not words. I know that. But we can make a start today with the simple acknowledgment that public service is a privilege.
And that your government should treat every single person in this country with respect.
If you voted for Labour yesterday we will carry the responsibility of your trust, as we rebuild our country.
So, as Keir Starmer presses forward with his agenda and policies, let's take a look at his background, career, and what his salary will look like now that he's leading the country.
Keir Starmer's family
Given the fact that Keir Starmer is the leader of the Labour party and now the United Kingdom, many wonder about the politician's background—especially if he was born into money or not.
Turns out, Keir Starmer is a man of humble beginnings. He grew up in a small town in Surrey called Oxted. His father was a toolmaker and his mum worked for the NHS as a nurse.
While he may have a sizable pay check today, things have not always been this easy for the leader. Starmer previously revealed that there was a time when his family struggled to pay the bills for months at a time when he was younger. He said, as quoted in The Mirror:
My dad worked in a factory and my mum worked as a nurse. I actually do know what it is like to sit around the kitchen table not being able to pay your bills.
I remember our utilities, our phone being cut off because we couldn't pay the bills, so I know what is going through people's minds
Moreover, Starmer spent a lot of time in the hospital due to his mother's battle with a rare and severe illness.
Early career
Despite the hardships, Sir Keir Starmer was the first in his family to go to university where he studied law. He started working as a barrister in 1987 and went on to become a legal advisor to the Northern Ireland Policing Board for five years. This is where he met his wife, Victoria, who works for the NHS - just like Starmer’s mum did.
In 2014, Starmer received a knighthood for his services to criminal justice. He invited his family along to Buckingham Palace for the event, and they even brought their dog!Starmer entered politics relatively late in life, at the age of 52. He is currently the MP for Holborn and St Pancras and has been Leader of the Labour Party since April 2020.
But how much does he earn, now that he's Prime Minister of the UK?
Sir Keir Starmer's salary and fortune
Starmer was Shadow Immigration Minister from 2015, when he entered politics, to 2016. He later went on to become Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union from 2016 to 2020 until he became Leader of the Labour Party.
He also serves as member for Holborn and St Pancras, a role for which he receives the standard MP’s salary. This was set in April 2024 at £91,346. He was also paid an additional salary for his role as Leader of the Opposition.
Earlier this year, Starmer followed Rishi Sunak as the pair both publisheddetails of their tax affairs. The report highlighted exactly how much the Labour leader paid in taxes in the year 2022/23 and also mentioned the salaries he got for his role as an MP and Leader of the Opposition.
As published by The Standard, he earned £79,098 as an MP and £49,193 as Leader of the opposition—which brought his annual salary for the year to around £128K.
His current salary as PM
Now that he's taken over from Rishi Sunak in Downing Street, Starmer will maintain his salary as MP but will not as the leader of the opposition. As Prime Minister, he will likely get the same salary as Sunak did which was reported to be £80,807 as per GOV.UK.
This brings his total annual income to around £172,153.
While it remains unknown how much the Labour leader is worth, he does live in a rather luxurious house with his wife Victoria. According to The Express, it could be worth up to £1 million.
Read more:
⋙ Rishi Sunak, King Charles and David Cameron are in hot water over Cop28 hypocrisy
Sources used:
BBC: Keir Starmer to make housing pledge in leader's speech
Daily Mail: Keir Starmer paid £67,000 in tax last year on earnings of more than £210,000 (including £85,000 from the sale of a house he owned with his sister) as Labour leader follows Rishi Sunak in publishing tax details
Reuters: Labour leader Starmer praises Thatcher in bid to woo UK Conservative voters
Mirror: Keir Starmer says phone was cut off for 'months' as his family struggled with bills
Politics.co.uk: Sir Keir Starmer’s net worth?
Express: Keir Starmer’s fortune: How Labour leader’s worth compares to election rival Rishi Sunak
The Standard: Keir Starmer paid more than £99,000 in tax, latest return shows
The Guardian: ‘I want to win everywhere’: Keir Starmer sets out scale of Labour ambitions
