164-792: Sir Keir Rodney Starmer ( / ˈ k ɪər / KEER ; born 2 September 1962) is a British politician who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since 2024 and as Leader of the Labour Party since 2020. He was Leader of the Opposition from 2020 to 2024. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Holborn and St Pancras since 2015, having previously been Director of Public Prosecutions from 2008 to 2013. Born in London and raised in Surrey , Starmer attended
328-646: A general election would be held on 4 July 2024. Labour entered the general election with a large lead over the Conservatives in opinion polls , and the potential scale of the party's victory remained a topic of discussion throughout the campaign. In June 2024 Starmer released the Labour Party’s 2024 manifesto, Change , which focused on economic growth, planning system reforms, infrastructure, what Starmer describes as "clean energy", healthcare, education, childcare, and strengthening workers' rights. It pledged
492-474: A vote of no confidence in the government , stating that Johnson should not be allowed to remain in office. Starmer also criticised Johnson, as well as his successors Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak , for issues such as the Chris Pincher scandal and the subsequent government crisis , the economic crisis resulting from the 2022 mini-budget and subsequent government crisis , the cost of living crisis , and
656-537: A 24-hour strike for 19 August; workers at Arriva Rail London had rejected a 5% pay offer. On 6 July 2023, RMT workers on the London Underground announced six days of strikes from Sunday 23 July to Friday 28 July. Strikes were planned on the London Underground between 23 and 28 July 2023, with the RMT set to walk out for six days, while members of Unite and ASLEF would strike on 26 and 28 July. On 21 July, it
820-410: A Child Poverty Taskforce, in which expert officials from across government would work together on how best to support more than four-million children living in poverty. Following the 2024 Southport stabbing , in which three young girls were killed, Starmer described the incident as horrendous and shocking and thanked emergency services for their swift response. He visited Southport and laid flowers at
984-570: A Conservative peer, and the future conservative journalist Andrew Sullivan . According to Starmer, he and Sullivan "fought over everything... Politics, religion.. You name it." In his teenage years Starmer was active in Labour Party politics joining the Labour Party Young Socialists at the age of 16. He won a junior exhibition from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he played
1148-404: A Crown Court and was out of Starmer's hands. When Jimmy Savile 's sexual abuse crimes were exposed in 2012, Starmer said amid the subsequent scandal that "It was like a dam had bust and people rightfully wanted to know why he had been allowed to get away with it for so long." In 2013 Starmer announced changes to how sexual abuse investigations were to be handled amid Operation Yewtree , including
1312-499: A constitutional anomaly in the 21st century. Both contend that such powers lack direct democratic legitimacy due to not being regulated by parliamentary statutes and raise concerns over accountability. Elliot and Thomas have pointed out that judicial intervention in cases such as Miller I and Miller II , where the Supreme Court exercised scrutiny over the use of prerogative powers by the government to prorogue parliament during
1476-482: A constitutional monarchy in which the monarch "reigns but does not rule". According to Brazier, the prime minister advises the monarch on matters such as the dissolution of parliament and appointments to the House of Lords, but these decisions are often made with the consent of parliament. The prime minister leads the executive in directing government policy and maintaining coordination between government departments which
1640-551: A dispute over pay, while members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) at Southwestern also voted to take industrial action. On 14 July, ASLEF announced that train drivers at eight train companies – Arriva Rail London , Chiltern Railways, Great Western Railway, LNER, Greater Anglia, Southeastern, Hull Trains and West Midlands Trains – would strike on 30 July, involving around 5,500 union members. A second day of ASLEF strike action
1804-591: A dispute over pay. On 6 August 2023, the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA) announced that in a recent vote, 96% of Virgin Atlantic pilots had supported a ballot on industrial action following concerns "serious concerns" about fatigue and their wellbeing. On 1 July, it was confirmed that roughly 370 Unite members employed as bus drivers at Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire would begin eight days of strike action from 4 July in
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#17327722150631968-507: A dispute over wages. Around 1,600 Unite members working for London United Busways staged a 48-hour strike on 19 and 20 August, affecting bus routes in West and South West London, as well as parts of Surrey, and over 2,000 Unite members working for Arriva London are set to stage continuous strike action from 4 October, affecting bus routes in North, East and South London. On 13 February 2023,
2132-549: A four-day strike had been called from 31 August to 3 September, with a work-to-rule to follow until 22 September. The strike went ahead as scheduled. On 3 March 2023, Loganair announced it would suspend flights between Inverness Airport and some island airports for at least six weeks from 17 March because of industrial action scheduled to begin at Highland and Islands Airports Limited . On 14 July 2023, Unite announced that around 1,000 workers at Gatwick Airport would stage eight days of strike action through July and August in
2296-458: A friend as well as a colleague. And to all of our members, supporters and affiliates I say this: whether you voted for me or not I will represent you, I will listen to you and I will bring our party together. Having become Leader of the Opposition during the COVID-19 pandemic , Starmer said in his acceptance speech that he would refrain from "scoring party political points" and would work with
2460-413: A function of the office of prime minister. Despite this, the exercise of the prime minister's prerogative powers in these matters is under the oversight of parliament. It is often by convention that a prime minister must seek the approval of parliament before committing the nation to military action. In addition to this, the prime minister also exerts informal influence over public policy. Brazier notes this
2624-517: A further 11 day strike from 25 October, and Unite has said that more strikes will be scheduled if the roster changes are not rescinded. On 22 November 2023, the GMB, Unite and SIPTU trade unions, who represent workers at Northern Ireland's Translink bus and rail services, called a one day strike for 1 December. On 6 December, three more strike days involving Translink bus and train staff were announced for 15, 16 and 22 December. A one-day transport strike
2788-559: A further six months of strike action. On 8 November, it was confirmed that members of the RMNT Would vote on a revised pay offer and guarantee of job security that would end the strike action if accepted. On 30 November, RMT members voted to accept the pay deal from 14 train companies, ending their strike action. On 9 June, members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen (ASLEF) voted to strike in
2952-409: A further three strike days were announced for November, occurring on 3, 5, and 7 November. On 4 November the RMT announced the strikes had been suspended and that they would enter into "a period of intensive negotiations" with Network Rail and the train operators. Network Rail announced that because of the strikes had been called off at the eleventh hour there would remain "severe disruption" to services
3116-530: A further two strike days were announced for 30 September and 4 October. On 16 November, ASLEF announced new strike dates, with a rolling programme of strikes from 2 December to 8 December affecting different train companies on different days. On 15 January 2024, another week of strike action was announced by the ASLEF train drivers union, to run from Tuesday 30 January until Monday 5 February, with drivers from different companies striking on different days throughout
3280-528: A further two strikes were announced for 1 and 5 October. On 10 November, the ASLEF union announced that around 9,500 train divers at 12 train operators would strike on 26 November. On 20 December, ASLEF announced a 24-hour strike involving drivers at 15 train companies for 5 January 2023, falling in between two strikes announced by the RMT for January. On 17 January ASLEF announced a further two strikes, to be held on 1 and 3 February. On 27 April 2023, and after
3444-912: A human rights adviser to the Northern Ireland Policing Board , taking silk as a Queen's Counsel in 2002. During his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions and Head of the Crown Prosecution Service he dealt with a number of major cases, including the Stephen Lawrence murder case . In the 2014 New Year Honours , he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) for "services to law and criminal justice". Starmer's policing work in Northern Ireland influenced him to pursue
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#17327722150633608-528: A last-minute strike by staff at the Channel Tunnel operator, Getlink . Eurostar urged its customers not to travel as a result of the strike. On 23 June 2022, it was announced that 700 staff at Heathrow Airport who belong to the GMB and Unite unions had voted to hold strike action during the summer holidays , when the number of overseas travellers was expected to be at pre-pandemic levels. On 7 July,
3772-467: A legal officer for the campaign group Liberty until 1990. Starmer was a member of Doughty Street Chambers from 1990 onwards, primarily working on human rights matters. Starmer has been called to the Bar in several Caribbean countries , where he defended convicts sentenced with the death penalty. In 1999 he was a junior barrister on Lee Clegg 's appeal . Starmer assisted Helen Steel and David Morris in
3936-443: A limited service to serve major hospitals in the area, and warned people not to travel by bus unless absolutely necessary. On 23 March, it was reported that National Express had offered a revised pay rise worth 16.2%. The company also released a statement confirming Unite would recommend the increase to its members. The Birmingham Mail reported that the strikes would continue over 24 and 25 March while Unite members were balloted on
4100-514: A long-running dispute between the Unite union and Abellio London , involving around 1,600 bus drivers in London was resolved when they accepted a deal that would mean drivers with two years' service being paid £18 an hour. On 2 March, members of the Unite union working for National Express West Midlands voted to strike, with strike action set to begin on 16 March. The industrial action would involve 3,000 bus drivers and affect 1,600 bus routes across
4264-425: A longstanding dispute between ASLEF and ScotRail, during which strike action was threatened, on 26 August 2024, the union announced it had suspended forthcoming strike action for ScotRail drivers following a new pay offer. ASLEF said it would ballot its members on the offer. On 25 September, ScotRail train drivers belonging to ASLEF voted to accept a 4.5% pay rise backdated to April, ending their dispute. On 30 June,
4428-421: A majority of 120 to block the measure. Starmer's Labour Government inherited a number of ongoing industrial disputes from the preceding Conservative Government and agreed pay deals with trade unions representing NHS and railway workers, ending strikes in the first few months of taking office. In August 2024, Starmer's government agreed to increase public-sector worker pay by 5 to 7 per cent. On 10 October
4592-584: A member of the university's Labour Club before graduating with first-class honours as a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 1985. He then went up to St Edmund Hall to pursue postgraduate studies in Jurisprudence taking a Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) degree from the University of Oxford in 1986. Starmer became a barrister in 1987 at the Middle Temple , then a bencher in 2009. He served as
4756-576: A new publicly-owned energy company ( Great British Energy ), a "Green Prosperity Plan", reducing patient waiting times in the NHS, and renationalisation of the railway network ( Great British Railways ). Promising wealth creation together with "pro-business and pro-worker" policies, the manifesto also pledged giving 16-year-olds the vote, reforming the House of Lords , and to tax private schools , with money generated going into improving state education. On taxes,
4920-530: A panel to review complaints. Starmer stepped down as Director of Public Prosecutions in November 2013, and was succeeded by Alison Saunders . Awarded several honorary degrees between 2011 to 2014, Starmer was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2014 New Year Honours for "services to law and criminal justice". My predecessor, the Right Hon. Frank Dobson, to whom I pay tribute,
5084-566: A pay deal described by the Rail Delivery Group and Network Rail as their "best and final" offer, and said they would seek further negotiations. Industry and the UK government had wanted the deal to be put to the RMT's members in a ballot. On 16 February the RMT announced four new days of strikes during March and April, with the dates confirmed as 16, 18 and 30 March, and 1 April. On 7 March, RMT staff working for Network Rail called off
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5248-535: A pay deal of 15% from the UK government, ending two years of strike action in England, Wales and Scotland. On 16 June, drivers at Avanti West Coast announced a one-day strike on 2 July over the terms of sick pay. This strike was subsequently called off on 22 June after Avanti agreed to remove the policy regarding sick pay. A second six-day overtime ban commenced from Monday 17 July, with a third announced on that date to begin on Monday 31 July. On 22 January 2024,
5412-418: A pay offer from the Rail Delivery Group was rejected, fresh strikes were announced for 12 May, 31 May and 3 June. Following this, a six-day overtime ban was announced, involving train drivers at 16 train operators and beginning from Monday 3 July, threatening disruption to services. On 18 August, a strike was announced for Friday 1 September, followed by an overtime ban on Saturday 2 September. On 15 September,
5576-415: A pay offer worth 7.8% in the first year and 4.5% in the second, claiming it would be a pay cut in real terms. Discussions between union representatives and Stagecoach were ongoing. On 1 September, Unite announced the bus drivers based at Stagecoach depots at Leamington, Rugby and Nuneaton would begin an indefinite strike from 5 September after rejecting a revised 14.3% pay offer. The strike would coincide with
5740-485: A planned 24-hour strike to be held by workers on the London Underground. The 21 June walkout involved 40,000 rail staff, as well as 10,000 workers from London Underground . Further strikes were subsequently called for 27 July, 18 and 20 August. and 15 and 17 September. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September, the strikes scheduled for 15 and 17 September were suspended. On 20 September
5904-495: A planned five-day strike by train drivers belonging to ASLEF at LNER beginning on 5 February was called off. On 16 August 2024, ASLEF announced that its members at LNER would stage strikes every weekend through September and October, as well as two in November, following what it describes as a break down in industrial relations and agreements. On 29 August, it was announced the strikes had been called off following last-minute talks between union and company officials. Following
6068-549: A political career, and he was elected to the House of Commons at the 2015 general election . He supported the Remain campaign in the 2016 European Union membership referendum and advocated a proposed second referendum on Brexit . He served in Jeremy Corbyn 's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Brexit Secretary , and following Corbyn's resignation after Labour's defeat at the 2019 general election , Starmer succeeded him by winning
6232-547: A reliable majority of MPs who vote in support of the government's priorities. Another essential part of the parliamentary powers possessed by the prime minister is determining the composition of the Cabinet. According to Professor Robert Hazell, the prime minister not only chooses cabinet members but also dictates the collective decision-making process of members as well. The prime minister most often would chair cabinet meetings and may determine their frequency, thereby controlling
6396-475: A separate dispute. The union, which represents train drivers, announced plans to hold strike action on 23 and 26 June and 13 and 14 July. The train operators affected were Hull Trains , Greater Anglia and Tramlink . ASLEF members staged a strike on 2 July, affecting 90% of train services operated by Greater Anglia . On 11 July, members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) at eight train operators voted to take strike action in
6560-414: A strike planned for 16 March after being given a fresh pay offer. On 22 March the strikes scheduled for 30 March and 1 April were called off following discussions with RMT representatives of train company staff and the Rail Delivery Group. On 27 April 2023, and after the RMT rejected the latest pay offer from the Rail Delivery Group, a fresh strike was called for Saturday 13 May. On 4 May 2023, members of
6724-404: A strike was announced for 1 October. On 22 September, an RMT strike was announced for 8 October, which the union described as "effectively shutting down the railway network". As the 8 October strike approached, and with no further national strikes scheduled for after then, Mick Lynch announced that members would be balloted to determine if they wished to continue with the strikes. On 19 October,
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6888-412: Is Enough! campaign. With industrial action on the railways ongoing, trade union members working in other industries voted to take industrial action, including telecommunications, the postal service, legal profession and freight, as well as other areas of the transport sector. Following a ballot of National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers members over whether to take industrial action, it
7052-552: Is based on an uncodified constitution , meaning that it is not set out in any single document. The British constitution consists of many documents, and most importantly for the evolution of the office of the prime minister, it is based on customs known as constitutional conventions that became accepted practice. In 1928, Prime Minister H. H. Asquith described this characteristic of the British constitution in his memoirs: In this country we live ... under an unwritten Constitution. It
7216-415: Is dependent upon the cooperation and consent of ministers. Foreign policy and national security are areas in which the prime minister has traditionally enjoyed more authority under what are known as prerogative powers. Vernon Bogdanor argues that the abilities to declare war, negotiate treaties and deploy the armed forces have historically been part of the monarch's royal authority but have slowly evolved into
7380-475: Is developed by constitutional conventions and therefore it is defined by precedent and tradition. Bogdanor notes that the prime minister's power in parliament is exhibited by their control of the executive (the Cabinet) and their ability to influence the legislative agenda. The ability of the prime minister to influence legislation, according to academic Philip Norton , is often through party discipline and having
7544-475: Is due to the prime minister often being the leader of the largest party in government, therefore having a direct impact in initiating policy both in government and during election campaigns. In the House of Commons, the prime minister guides the law-making process with the goal of enacting the legislative agenda of their political party. In an executive capacity, the prime minister appoints (and may dismiss) all other Cabinet members and ministers , and co-ordinates
7708-424: Is further solidified through their ability to shape policy before it reaches parliament. King further argued that the shaping of legislation, on many occasions, involves the collaborative efforts of cabinet ministers and civil servants, but the prime minister's approval is needed in order to initiate the legislative agenda. King's analysis of contemporary politcs showed that some prime ministers often bypass or overrule
7872-416: Is the change in the Labour Party we need". During Starmer's tenure as Opposition Leader, his party suffered the loss of a previously safe Labour seat at the 2021 Hartlepool by-election , followed by holds at the 2021 Batley and Spen by-election , 2022 Birmingham Erdington by-election and 2022 City of Chester by-election , as well as a gain from the Conservatives at the 2022 Wakefield by-election . During
8036-613: Is therefore best understood from a historical perspective. The origins of the position are found in constitutional changes that occurred during the Revolutionary Settlement (1688–1720) and the resulting shift of political power from the sovereign to Parliament. The prime minister is the head of the United Kingdom government . As such, the modern prime minister leads the Cabinet (the Executive). In addition,
8200-730: Is true that we have on the Statute-book great instruments like Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the Bill of Rights which define and secure many of our rights and privileges; but the great bulk of our constitutional liberties and ... our constitutional practices do not derive their validity and sanction from any Bill which has received the formal assent of the King, Lords and Commons. They rest on usage, custom, convention, often of slow growth in their early stages, not always uniform, but which in
8364-510: Is – far-right thuggery". Starmer later called an emergency response meeting of COBRA . After the COBRA meeting, Starmer ordered a "standing army" to be set up to tackle the ongoing "far-right" riots. This was possible under the special emergency powers which first used 40 years ago under the Ridley Plan , to tackle striking miners in 1984 and 1985. Starmer faced criticism for his response to
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#17327722150638528-627: The 2019 general election with a reduced majority of 27,763 (64.9 per cent), and at the 2024 general election with a further reduced majority of 18,884 (48.9 per cent). During the 2016 European Union membership referendum , Starmer supported the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign for the UK to remain in the European Union (EU). A member of both parliamentary groups Labour Friends of Israel and Labour Friends of Palestine and
8692-418: The 2020 leadership election . As Leader of the Opposition he moved Labour towards the political centre and emphasised the elimination of antisemitism within the party , and his party made significant gains in the 2023 and 2024 local elections . Starmer led Labour to a landslide victory at the 2024 general election , ending fourteen years of Conservative Party governance and with the smallest share of
8856-535: The 2023 local elections , Labour gained more than 500 councillors and 22 councils, becoming the largest party in local government for the first time since 2002 . Labour made further gains at the 2024 local elections , gaining from the Conservatives at the Blackpool South by-election and narrowly winning the West Midlands mayoral election . On 22 May 2024 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that
9020-629: The Birmingham , Coventry , Wolverhampton and other parts of the West Midlands . On 13 March, the strike scheduled for 16 March was called off after they received a revised pay offer, which Unite said it would put to its members. However, on 16 March, a fresh strike was called for Monday 20 March after Unite claimed National Express would not allow the drivers to vote on the pay offer. The indefinite strike commenced on 20 March, affecting 93% of bus services in Birmingham. National Express operated
9184-468: The House of Lords , and to undertake a programme to speed up the delivery of "high quality infrastructure" and housing. In addition, a number of bills proposed by the previous Conservative government were also included, notably the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which featured in the 2023 King's Speech, but had been abandoned when the election was called . Skills England , a body whose objective will be to reduce
9348-658: The Iraq War following the 2003 invasion of Iraq , stating in 2015 that he believed that the war was " not lawful under international law because there was no UN resolution expressly authorising it". Starmer served as a human rights adviser to the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Association of Chief Police Officers , and was also a member of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 's Death Penalty Advisory Panel from 2002 to 2008. The Northern Ireland Board
9512-627: The McLibel case , at the trial and appeal in English courts, also representing them before the European Court of Human Rights . Starmer was appointed Queen's Counsel on 9 April 2002, aged 39. In the same year, he became joint head of Doughty Street Chambers. In 2005 Starmer said "I got made a Queen's Counsel, which is odd since I often used to propose the abolition of the monarchy ". Starmer authored legal opinions and marched in protest against
9676-518: The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) voted to strike over planned changes to their pay and working conditions. They were soon joined by other railway unions, and a series of one-day strikes halted trains in many parts of the British mainland. Train services operated at 20% of normal capacity on strike days. Public support for the strikes was organised through the Enough
9840-570: The Public and Commercial Services Union announced that its members working as UK Border Force employees at Heathrow Airport had voted to strike over shift patterns. A four-day strike was subsequently called for 11 April, but on 5 April, PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote announced it had been suspended to allow fresh talks with the Home Office to take place. On 16 August, the PCS union announced
10004-585: The Rwanda asylum plan and a National Violent Disorder Programme in response to the 2024 riots , as well as reforms to workers' rights . In foreign policy Starmer has supported Ukraine in the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel in the Israel-Hamas war . Keir Rodney Starmer was born on 2 September 1962, at Southwark in south east London, and grew up in the town of Oxted , Surrey. He was the second of
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#173277221506310168-524: The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) confirmed its members at Avanti West Coast had voted overwhelmingly for strikes and action short of a strike, ostensibly over the same issues that had triggered the RMT dispute, with 86% voting for strike action and 91% voting for action short of a strike on a 91% turnout. The union said it also planned to ballot staff at Network Rail and other train companies who operate at stations along
10332-556: The United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union , was successful in keeping check over the authority of both the prime minister and the government. The evolving usage of prerogative powers also has signalled tension between tradition and accountability. Authors Paul Craig and Adam Tomkins state that the absence of a written constitution gives a prime minister greater leeway in employing their given prerogative powers without limits that in turn would create uncertainty although
10496-547: The West Coast Main Line . On 11 July, TSSA members at Southwestern also voted to take industrial action. The TSSA joined the RMT on the 18 and 20 August strikes. On 31 August, another TSSA strike affecting TransPennine Express, West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast, c2c, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, LNER and Southeastern, as well as Network Rail, was announced for 26 September, when it would commence at midday. On 22 June, it
10660-620: The industrial disputes and strikes including National Health Service strikes . As Labour Leader Starmer focused on repositioning the Party away from the Left and the controversies that affected Corbyn's leadership, with promises of economic stability, tackling small-boat crossings , cutting NHS waiting times and "rebuilding the NHS", worker rights enrichment, energy independence and infrastructure development, tackling crime, improving education and training, reforming public services, renationalising
10824-674: The whip from seven of its MPs who had supported an amendment tabled by the Scottish National Party 's Westminster parliamentary leader Stephen Flynn to scrap it, with Flynn saying that scrapping the cap would immediately raise 300,000 children out of poverty. MPs rejected the SNP amendment by 363 votes to 103. The seven Labour MPs suspended for six months were John McDonnell , Richard Burgon , Ian Byrne , Apsana Begum , Imran Hussain , Zarah Sultana , and Rebecca Long-Bailey, all of whom now sit as independents . Starmer launched
10988-466: The world's sixth largest economy , the prime minister hold significant domestic and international leadership alongside being the leader of a prominent member state of NATO , the G7 and G20 . 58 people (55 men and 3 women) have served as prime minister, the first of whom was Robert Walpole taking office on 3 April 1721. The longest-serving prime minister was also Walpole, who served over 20 years, and
11152-414: The 2021 local elections, the first local elections of his leadership, but later felt "vindicated" by his decision to stay on, saying "I did [consider quitting] because I didn't feel that I should be bigger than the party and that if I couldn't bring about the change, perhaps there should be a change. But actually, in the end, I reflected on it, talked to very many people and doubled down and determined, no, it
11316-523: The European Union . In this role, Starmer questioned Theresa May and HM Government 's destination for the UK outside of the EU, as well as calling for Brexit plans to be made public and supporting a proposed Second Referendum on Brexit . Following defeat at the 2019 general election , Corbyn announced that he would not lead Labour at the next general election after "a process of reflection". Starmer began to distance himself from Corbyn's leadership and many of
11480-528: The Government "in the national interest". He later became more critical of HM Government's response to the pandemic following the partygate scandal. In May 2022, Starmer said he would resign were he to receive a fixed penalty notice for breaching COVID-19 regulations while campaigning during the run-up to the Hartlepool by-election and local elections the previous year. The controversy surrounding
11644-532: The Government implemented the most significant enhancement of employment regulations in a generation. This included an increase in minimum wages and a wide array of rights, such as immediate protection against unfair dismissal and the entitlement for employees to request flexible working arrangements, unless the employer can demonstrate that such arrangements are impractical. Billions worth of investments in emerging growth sectors including AI and life sciences, and infrastructure were unveiled by businesses and ministers at
11808-518: The House of Commons. Labour achieved a 174-seat simple majority and a total of 411 seats, the party's third-best result in terms of seat-share following the 1997 and 2001 general elections. The party became the largest in England for the first time since 2005 , in Scotland for the first time since 2010 and retained its status as the largest party in Wales . Despite this, Labour won 34 per cent of
11972-687: The Labour Party no longer being monitored by the EHRC. Starmer's Shadow Cabinet initially comprised both the right and left of the Labour Party. Starmer reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet three times – firstly in May 2021 , secondly in November 2021 , and finally in September 2023 . Starmer's reshuffles reduced the representation of the left and soft left on the Opposition frontbench , while increasing
12136-501: The Middle East , Starmer was urged by a number of activists to stand in the 2015 Labour Party leadership election following the resignation of Ed Miliband as Leader of the Labour Party after Labour's defeat at the 2015 general election ; he ruled this out, citing his relative lack of political experience at the time. During the leadership election Starmer supported Andy Burnham , who finished second to Jeremy Corbyn . Starmer
12300-414: The RMT began a week of strikes from that evening, which were scheduled to end on 12 January. The strikes would include the winding down of tube services from Sunday 7 January, an event which was expected to cause major travel disruption to commuters in London. On 7 January, the RMT announced the strike had been called off. On 21 December 2023, Eurostar were forced to cancel a number of services following
12464-406: The RMT voted to renew the union's mandate to take strike action for a further six months. On 18 May, a further RMT strike was announced for 2 June. On 22 June, three further days of strike action were announced for 20, 22 and 29 July. On 11 August two days of weekend strike action were announced for Saturday 26 August and Saturday 2 September. On 19 October 2023, members of the RMT voted to stage
12628-532: The TSSA, described the deal as "a sensible outcome to a reasonable offer". On 24 June, members of the RMT working on the London Underground voted to continue with strike action for a further six months in an ongoing dispute over pensions and job cuts. The continued industrial action was supported by 90% of voting members on a 53% turnout. On 3 August RMT workers on the London Underground network, and London Overground trains served by Arriva Rail London , announced
12792-577: The Union . The prime minister's official residence and office, by virtue of being the First Lord of the Treasury, is 10 Downing Street in London. Early conceptions of the office of prime minister evolved as the " Primus inter pares " or "first among equals", however that does not differentiate on status and responsibility upon whoever is holding office. Historically, the prime minister has never been
12956-400: The aftermath of the parliamentary expenses scandal , who were all found guilty. Starmer prioritised rapid prosecutions of rioters over long sentences during the 2011 England riots , which he later concluded helped to bring "the situation back under control". In February 2012 Starmer announced that Chris Huhne would be prosecuted for perverting the course of justice , stating in relation to
13120-663: The agenda for policy and steering decisions in their preferred direction. Additionally, the prime minister can exercise considerable control over parliamentary time. Authors Alexander Horne and Gavin Drewry state that the prime minister uses this power through the Leader of the House of Commons , by which they are able to allocate time for government bills and often ensuring access to this time over private members' bills. The prime minister's parliamentary powers also extend to foreign relations. Contemporary historian Anthony Seldon says that
13284-728: The ballot choosing to strike. On 27 June, members of the Criminal Bar Association in England and Wales began four weeks of industrial action after rejecting a 15% pay raise. The government planned the raise to begin October 2022; the CBA said the proposal only amounted to 9 percent pay increase and was insufficient to retain barristers. The walkout disrupted 90% of proceedings at the Old Bailey as barristers demanded
13448-546: The beard a miss. Starmer was selected in December 2014 as the Labour parliamentary candidate for the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras , a Labour safe seat , following the decision of its sitting MP, Frank Dobson , to retire. Starmer was elected at the 2015 general election with a majority of 17,048 (52.9 per cent). He was re-elected at the 2017 general election with an increased majority of 30,509 (70.1 per cent), at
13612-463: The bus operator and Unite ended without a resolution. On 5 August, the Unite union announced that 1,900 workers at Felixstowe Docks , one of the UK's largest ports, would stage an eight-day strike from 21 August, after rejecting a 7% pay rise from the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company . Unite described the pay offer as "significantly below" the rate of inflation. The strike represented
13776-452: The cabinet on traditional discussion and to push through their preferred agendas with notable cases such as Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. The prime minister's influence in the Houses of Parliament is derived from longstanding conventions and statutes that have gradually evolved through the centuries. The office of prime minister itself is not explicitly mentioned in parliamentary law but
13940-412: The cabinet proposes new legislation and decide on key policies that fit their agenda which is then passed by an act of parliament . The power of the office of prime minister has grown significantly since the first prime minister, Robert Walpole in 1721. Prime ministerial power itself evolved gradually alongside the office itself which have played an increasingly prominent role in British politics since
14104-407: The case that "[w]here there is sufficient evidence we do not shy away from prosecuting politicians". In 2012 the journalist Nick Cohen published allegations that Starmer was personally responsible for allowing the prosecution of Paul Chambers to proceed, in what became known as the " Twitter joke trial ". The CPS denied that Starmer was behind the decision, saying that it was the responsibility of
14268-473: The challenges of an insecure world. Committed to a calm and patient rebuilding. So with respect and humility, I invite you all to join this government of service in the mission of national renewal. Our work is urgent and we begin it today. Other world leaders, including Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau , as well as Blair and Brown, congratulated Starmer upon his appointment as prime minister. One of his first acts
14432-421: The conferral of peerages and some knighthoods, decorations and other important honours. Bagehot identifies the prime minister as the leader of the "efficient" part of government that functions within the government to steer legislation through both Houses of Parliament. Although the prime minister does not possess the power to introduce legislation directly, their control of the cabinet and their role as leader of
14596-493: The constitutional hierarchy, the premiership was given little formal recognition until the 20th century; the legal fiction was maintained that the sovereign still governed directly. The position was first mentioned in statute only in 1917, in the schedule of the Chequers Estate Act . Increasingly during the 20th century, the office and role of prime minister featured in statute law and official documents; however,
14760-438: The course of time received universal observance and respect. The relationships between the prime minister and the sovereign, Parliament and Cabinet are defined largely by these unwritten conventions of the constitution. Many of the prime minister's executive and legislative powers are actually royal prerogatives which are still formally vested in the sovereign , who remains the head of state . Despite its growing dominance in
14924-406: The day after the manifesto was released, Starmer pledged that not only would income tax, National Insurance , and VAT not be increased, but that, per their manifesto, their plans were fully costed and funded and would not require tax increases. Starmer led Labour to a landslide victory at the general election, ending fourteen years of Conservative government with Labour becoming the largest party in
15088-460: The day, shining once again, on a country with the opportunity after 14 years to get its future back. We said we would end the chaos and we will. We said we would turn the page and we have. Today we start the next chapter, begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal and start to rebuild our country. As the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, Starmer was appointed prime minister by King Charles III on 5 July 2024, becoming
15252-404: The early 20th century . During the premierships of Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher , prime ministerial power expanded substantially and their leadership in the office were described as "presidential" due to their personal yielding of power and tight control over the cabinet. The prime minister is regarded as one of the world's most powerful political leaders in modern times. As the leader of
15416-512: The electoral vote of any majority government since record-keeping of the popular vote began in 1830 . Under Starmer's premiership , the government have ended certain winter fuel payments for around 10 million Britons, implemented an early-release scheme for thousands of prisoners to decrease prison overcrowding, and settled a number of public-sector strikes . Starmer has announced the Border Security Command in replacement of
15580-422: The establishment of a National Violent Disorder Programme to facilitate greater cooperation between police forces when dealing with violent disorder . On 4 August Starmer stated that rioters "will feel the full force of the law" and that "You will regret taking part in this, whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves". He added "I won't shy away from calling it what it
15744-614: The establishment of the Council of the Nations and Regions . On 24 July 2024 Starmer attended his first Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament. Starmer set about appointing a new Cabinet , which first met on 6 July, and he completed his ministerial appointments on 7 July. Parliament was then recalled to meet on 9 July. Among Starmer's ministerial appointments were the scientist Patrick Vallance as Minister of State for Science ,
15908-619: The event was dubbed " beergate ". In July 2022 Durham Police cleared Starmer and said that he had "no case to answer". In August 2022 the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards , Kathryn Stone , found that Starmer had breached the MPs' code of conduct eight times by failing to register interests on eight occasions. Amidst the historic number of ministers resigning from Boris Johnson 's government in July 2022, Starmer proposed
16072-461: The exercise of much of the royal prerogative , chairs the Cabinet , and selects its ministers . As modern prime ministers hold office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the House of Commons , they sit as members of Parliament . The office of prime minister is not established by any statute or constitutional document, but exists only by long-established convention , whereby
16236-530: The first British Asian prime minister of our country should not be underestimated by anyone" and he also recognised "the dedication and hard work he brought to his leadership", but added that the people of the UK had voted for change: You have given us a clear mandate, and we will use it to deliver change. To restore service and respect to politics, end the era of noisy performance, tread more lightly on your lives, and unite our country. Four nations, standing together again, facing down, as we have so often in our past,
16400-523: The first Labour prime minister since Gordon Brown in 2010 and the first one to win a general election since Tony Blair in 2005 . He and his wife, Victoria, were driven from Buckingham Palace to Downing Street . Starmer stopped the car on the way back from the palace to go on a walkabout in Downing Street to meet cheering crowds. In his first speech as prime minister, Starmer paid tribute to his predecessor, Rishi Sunak, saying "his achievement as
16564-430: The first among equals at any time prior to 1868. Until now, that characterisation of the prime minister is reflective of the democratic nature of their position. The power of the prime minister depends on the support of their respective party and on the popular mandate. The appointment of cabinet ministers and granting of honours are done through the prime minister's power of appointment . The prime minister alongside
16728-564: The first such industrial action for three decades. Over 70 lorry drivers and shunters represented by Unite and employed at a depot of the dairy company Müller in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire took strike action between 25 and 27 August and 1–3 September after the company imposed changes to employees' rosters that would result in working at least one day every weekend, after the company had signed an agreement with Unite six months previously committing to no roster changes. The drivers undertook
16892-489: The first week of a new school term. On 4 September, and following last-minute talks between union representatives and Stagecoach, the planned strike action was suspended for a week to give Unite members time to consider a new pay offer. The planned strike action was subsequently called off after union members voted to accept a new pay offer worth 12.4% over two years. On 30 September 2023, Go North East bus drivers began strike action after last-minute talks over pay between
17056-469: The flute, piano, recorder and violin until the age of 18. In the early 1980s Starmer was caught by police illegally selling ice creams while trying to raise money during a holiday on the French Riviera . He escaped the incident without punishment, beyond the ice creams being confiscated. The first member of his family to go to university, Starmer read Law at the University of Leeds where he became
17220-408: The following day, as well as on 7 November. In Scotland, a separate strike was called for 10 October after the RMT rejected a 5% pay offer from ScotRail that was described as a "kick in the teeth". An RMT strike involving staff at Avanti West Coast was held on 22 October, forcing the cancellation of a number of services throughout the day. On 22 November, the RMT announced four 48-hour strike in
17384-558: The following year. It then emerged that one prisoner released early under the scheme was charged with sexual assault relating to an alleged offence against a woman on the same day he was freed. Starmer has defended the releasing of prisoners, and accused the previous government of having "broke[n] the prison system." Starmer has declined to abolish the two-child benefit cap introduced by the Cameron–Clegg coalition government in 2013, citing financial reasons. On 23 July 2024 Labour withdrew
17548-538: The four children of Josephine ( née Baker ), a nurse, and Rodney Starmer, a toolmaker . His mother contracted Still's disease . His mother attended St. John's Anglican Church in Hurst Green whilst his father was an atheist. He was nominally "brought up Church of England ." His parents were both Labour Party supporters, and reputedly named him after the party's first parliamentary leader, Keir Hardie , although Starmer neither confirmed nor denied whether this
17712-542: The government's inaugural International Investment Summit on 14 October 2024. World-renowned CEOs and investors from around the world convened with ministers, First Ministers, and local leaders at the Guildhall in London. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom . The prime minister advises the sovereign on
17876-477: The granting of honours. Brazier argues that prerogative powers allow the prime minister to act within the "authority of the crown" in situations where neither convention nor statutory law applies. As noted by both Bagehot and Brazier, areas in which the prime minister authorises their given prerogative powers are matters of foreign affairs. In recent occasions, the 2003 invasion of Iraq saw Prime Minister Tony Blair deploying British troops to Saudi Arabia without
18040-471: The immediate consent or approval of parliament. Brazier says the rise of parliamentary and public scrutiny has led to calls for reform and checks on the use of prerogative powers. The only prime minister who did not seek parliamentary or legal consent for military action was Anthony Eden during the Suez Crisis in 1956. Professors Mark Elliot and Robert Thomas argue that prerogative powers present
18204-433: The largest outbreak of industrial action in the United Kingdom since 1989, and the first national strike involving the UK's railways since 1994, when signal workers walked out over a pay dispute with Railtrack . On 7 June, initial strike dates were announced for 21, 23 and 25 June, with rail employees at Network Rail and 13 train operators joining the action. It was also announced that the 21 June strike would coincide with
18368-434: The largest political party in the House of Commons enables them substantial influence over any legislative agenda. Bagehot points out that this power is based on the prime minister's ability to operate the "machinery of government" that allows them to guide legislation that align with their party's political and ideological priorities. Brazier argues that the legislative power of the prime minister has greatly expanded following
18532-575: The monarch appoints as prime minister the person most likely to command the confidence of the House of Commons. In practice, this is the leader of the political party that holds the largest number of seats in the Commons. The prime minister is ex officio also First Lord of the Treasury (prior to 1905 also the official title of the position), Minister for the Civil Service , the minister responsible for national security , and Minister for
18696-547: The need for overseas employees by improving skills training for people in England, was launched on 22 July. One of Starmer's first acts was the cancellation of the controversial Rwanda asylum plan , describing it as "dead and buried". Cooper established the Border Security Command to tackle smuggling gangs which facilitate illegal migrant crossings over the English Channel . Shortly after taking office, Starmer said that there were "too many prisoners", and described
18860-534: The new offer. On 25 March, Unite members voted to accept the new pay offer ending the strike. National Express West Midlands said it would run a reduced service the next day, a Sunday, then would run services "as close to normal as possible" on Monday 27 March. On 17 August 2023, it was reported that around 300 Stagecoach drivers in Warwickshire , a county where the company operates 87% of the bus routes, were set to begin open ended strike action after rejecting
19024-429: The party. This is what it is for – a changed Labour Party ready to serve our country, ready to restore Britain to the service of working people. And across our country people will be waking up to the news, relieved that a weight has been lifted, a burden finally removed from the shoulders of this great nation. And now we can look forward. Walk into the morning, the sunlight of hope, pale at first but getting stronger through
19188-547: The pay offer from Translink, which was worth 5%, together with a one-off payment of £1,500 for the 2023–24 financial year. On 15 March, the trade unions agreed to re-enter talks with Translink over their pay dispute. On 14 August, Unite announced that staff working on Edinburgh's tram network had voted to take strike action over a lack of toilet breaks for staff on late running services, something they argued had led to health problems. The 160 staff included drivers, ticket collectors and controllers, with 90% of those taking part in
19352-459: The planning system, infrastructure, energy, healthcare, education, childcare, and strengthening workers' rights, as set out in Labour's 2024 election manifesto. The 2024 State Opening of Parliament outlined 39 bills that Labour proposed to introduce in the months ahead, including ones to renationalise the railways , to bring local bus services under local public control, to strengthen the rights of workers, to tackle illegal immigration , to reform
19516-419: The policies and activities of all government departments, and the staff of the Civil Service. The prime minister also acts as the public "face" and "voice" of His Majesty's Government, both at home and abroad. Solely upon the advice of the prime minister, the sovereign exercises many statutory and prerogative powers, including high judicial, political, official and Church of England ecclesiastical appointments;
19680-477: The policies put forward at the general election, later revealing in 2024 that he was "certain that we would lose the 2019 election". On 4 January 2020 Starmer announced his candidacy for the resultant leadership election . He gained support from the former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown and London Mayor Sadiq Khan . During the Labour leadership campaign, Starmer ran a left-wing platform and positioned himself in opposition to austerity , stating that Corbyn
19844-400: The post-war period and that as a result, the prime minister now directly authorises supervision over government bills and has a consequential role in the introduction of legislation. The prime minister is able to wield considerable power in the passing of legislation through their ability to manage party discipline and cohesion in voting patterns. Bogdanor states that this largely depends upon
20008-407: The power of the prime minister derives from their ability to command a majority in the House in order to pass legislation and continue the functions of government. If a prime minister loses the confidence of the House, which occurs in a vote of no confidence, they are often expected to resign from office or request the monarch dissolve parliament to call a general election. The prime minister acts as
20172-451: The powers of the Crown, entrusting its authority to responsible ministers (the prime minister and Cabinet), accountable for their policies and actions to Parliament, in particular the elected House of Commons . Although many of the sovereign's prerogative powers are still legally intact, constitutional conventions have removed the monarch from day-to-day governance, with ministers exercising
20336-559: The previous government as having acted "almost beyond recklessness". In order to manage the prison overcrowding, the newly-appointed Justice Secretary , Shabana Mahmood , announced the implementation of an early release scheme which allowed for prisoners in England and Wales to be released after serving 40 per cent of their sentences rather than the 50 per cent previously introduced under the last government. Over 1,700 prisoners were released in September, with further releases expected in
20500-437: The previous government of leaving a £21.9bn "black hole", and announced on 29 July that certain winter fuel payments would be scrapped for around 10 million pensioners. Following criticism of the plan , Starmer has defended the scrapping of these winter fuel payments, arguing that he had to make "tough decisions to stabilise the economy". On 10 September the Government benches defeated a Conservative Party motion in Parliament by
20664-428: The prime minister acts as the main representative of the government in the international sphere, including in parliament, where treaties are ratified and international commitments are debated. The most significant powers given to the prime minister are "prerogative powers". These are a set of constitutional privileges deriving from monarchial authority that have gradually evolved into tools of executive power managed by
20828-401: The prime minister and the government. Bagehot famously called the British system as one where "the executive power is now yielded by the prime minister" rather than the monarch, a shift from personal to political power. Prerogative powers allow the prime minister to act without the immediate or direct consent of parliament especially in circumstances such as declaring war, deployment of troops and
20992-463: The prime minister and the sovereign. The concept of " the Crown " resolves this paradox. The Crown symbolises the state's authority to govern: to make laws and execute them, impose taxes and collect them, declare war and make peace. Before the " Glorious Revolution " of 1688, the sovereign exclusively wielded the powers of the Crown; afterwards, Parliament gradually forced monarchs to assume a neutral political position. Parliament has effectively dispersed
21156-446: The prime minister being the leader of the largest party in the Commons, which can pass legislation without any or little resistance if they can command the confidence of the House. This aspect of prime ministerial power is informal and often carried out by the office of Whips, who makes sure that MPs remain loyal and vote on the government line. The political scientist Anthony King said that the prime minister's influence over legislation
21320-407: The prime minister can hold significant power over the executive, it is often exercised collectively through the Cabinet (Government). Ministerial responsibility is also an aspect of a prime minister's executive authority. The prime minister leads the cabinet which makes the holder of that office bear responsibility for the collective conduct of the government. Professor Rodney Brazier points out that
21484-409: The prime minister leads a major political party and generally commands a majority in the House of Commons (the lower chamber of Parliament). The incumbent wields both significant legislative and executive powers. Under the British system, there is a unity of powers rather than separation . Walter Bagehot described the office of prime minister as the "keystone of the Cabinet arch" that maintained while
21648-462: The prime minister's powers and relationships with other institutions still largely continue to derive from ancient royal prerogatives and historic and modern constitutional conventions. Prime ministers continue to hold the position of First Lord of the Treasury and, since November 1968, that of Minister for the Civil Service , the latter giving them authority over the civil service . Under this arrangement, Britain might appear to have two executives:
21812-420: The principal advisor to the monarch, who is the head of state, a capacity that has evolved gradually during the history of the office. Bagehot says that despite the monarch holding certain theoretical executive powers, in practice, these powers are often executed upon the advice and recommendation of the prime minister and the cabinet. This is considered a major principle of the "unity of powers" that exists within
21976-462: The railway network, and recruiting 6,500 teachers. Starmer also pledged to end antisemitism within the Labour Party . In October 2020, following the release of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)'s report into antisemitism in the Labour Party , Starmer accepted its findings in full and apologised to Jews on the Party's behalf. In February 2023 Starmer's antisemitism reforms resulted in
22140-663: The rehabilitation campaigner James Timpson as Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation , and the international law expert Richard Hermer as Attorney General for England and Wales , who were created life peers to sit in the House of Lords . The new government also contains a few ministers from the New Labour Blair/Brown governments, including Hilary Benn , Yvette Cooper, David Lammy, and Ed Miliband in Cabinet, and Jacqui Smith and Douglas Alexander as junior ministers. Domestically, Starmer said that his primary concerns would be economic growth, reforming
22304-478: The representation of the Party's right. Notable changes included Rachel Reeves replacing Anneliese Dodds as Shadow Chancellor , the demotion of Lisa Nandy from Shadow Levelling-Up Secretary to Shadow Minister for International Development , and the replacement of Chief Whip Nick Brown with Alan Campbell . Resignations from Starmer's Shadow Cabinet included Andy McDonald and Rosena Allin-Khan . Starmer considered resigning after Labour's mixed results in
22468-504: The riots, including from Elon Musk , the wealthiest person in the world, for not condemning all participants and only blaming the far-right . Musk dubbed Starmer "Two-Tier Keir", asking, "why aren't all communities protected in Britain?". Starmer rejected calls from some MPs, including Reform Party leader Nigel Farage and Conservative Dame Priti Patel , to recall parliament to Westminster . The new Chancellor , Rachel Reeves, accused
22632-576: The royal prerogatives, leaving the monarch in practice with three constitutional rights: to be kept informed, to advise and to warn. United Kingdom industrial disputes and strikes (2022%E2%80%93present) Since May–June 2022, a series of labour strikes and industrial disputes have occurred in various industries of the United Kingdom's economy as workers walked out over pay and conditions. The strikes took place with rising inflation, and demands for pay increases that would keep pace with this inflation. The strikes began on 15 June 2022 after members of
22796-405: The run up to Christmas and early 2023, with strike action scheduled for 13–14 December, 16–17 December, 3–4 January and 6–7 January. On 5 December, RMT staff working for Network Rail (roughly half of those involved in the dispute) announced a strike over Christmas, beginning at 6pm on Christmas Eve and continuing until 6am on 27 December. On 10 February 2023, the RMT's executive committee rejected
22960-409: The scene, where he was heckled by some members of the public. Starmer later wrote amidst the ongoing riots across England and Northern Ireland following the stabbing that those who had "hijacked the vigil for the victims" had "insulted the community as it grieves" and that rioters would feel the full force of the law. On 1 August, and following a meeting with senior police officers, Starmer announced
23124-461: The school, now a charity, awarded him a bursary that allowed him to complete his education there without any parental contribution. The subjects he chose to study in the sixth form during his last two years at school were mathematics, music and physics, in which he achieved A level grades of B, B and C. Among his classmates at Reigate were the musician Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), with whom Starmer took violin lessons; Andrew Cooper , who later became
23288-455: The selective state Reigate Grammar School . He was active politically as a teenager, and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Leeds in 1985 and received a postgraduate Bachelor of Civil Law degree from the University of Oxford where he was a student at St Edmund Hall in 1986. After being called to the Bar , Starmer practised predominantly in criminal defence work, specialising in human rights . He served as
23452-399: The shortest-serving was Liz Truss , who served seven weeks. The current prime minister is Keir Starmer , who succeeded Rishi Sunak on 5 July 2024, following the 2024 general election . The position of prime minister was not created; it evolved slowly and organically over three hundred years due to numerous Acts of Parliament , political developments, and accidents of history. The office
23616-431: The since the prime minister wields significant sway over policy, that power must be subjected to the conclusion and input of Cabinet ministers. This prevents the office of prime minister from becoming more dominant and also ensures that executive power is authorised with broader support from and within the government. The prime minister must constantly maintain the confidence of the House of Commons because, as Bagehot notes,
23780-514: The strike action was suspended, following further discussions between union representatives and British Airways, which had resulted in what the union described as a "vastly improved" pay offer. On 7 June 2023, the Unite union announced that around 2,000 security officers at Heathrow Airport would stage 31 days of strikes between 24 June and 27 August. But, on 12 June, it was announced that the first two days of that strike action had been called off after they received an improved pay offer. On 23 June,
23944-484: The strikes were called off after staff voted to accept a pay increase worth between 15.5% and 17.5%. On 23 April 2024, the Unite union announced that 800 of its staff at Heathrow Airport would stage a strike from 7 to 13 May over outsourcing of jobs. On 7 December 2022, it was announced that UK Border Force staff at several UK airports and who belong to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) would hold eight days of strike action over Christmas. On 22 March,
24108-698: The trust of people". Starmer represented Croatia at the genocide hearings before the International Court of Justice at The Hague in 2014, arguing that Serbia wanted to seize a third of Croatian territory during the 1990s war and eradicate the Croatian population. In July 2008 Patricia Scotland , Attorney General for England and Wales , named Starmer as the new Head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). He succeeded Ken Macdonald , who publicly welcomed Starmer's appointment, on 1 November 2008. Starmer
24272-602: The use of such powers by the prime minister is often constrained by political convention than by law. King Charles III [REDACTED] William, Prince of Wales [REDACTED] Charles III ( King-in-Council ) [REDACTED] Starmer ministry ( L ) Keir Starmer ( L ) Angela Rayner ( L ) ( King-in-Parliament ) [REDACTED] Charles III [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Lord Reed The Lord Hodge Andrew Bailey Monetary Policy Committee The British system of government
24436-532: The vote in the first round. It is the honour and the privilege of my life to be elected as Leader of the Labour Party. I want to thank Rebecca and Lisa for running such passionate and powerful campaigns and for their friendship and support along the way. I want to thank our Labour Party staff who worked really hard and my own amazing campaign team, full of positivity, with that unifying spirit. I want to pay tribute to Jeremy Corbyn, who led our party through some really difficult times, who energised our movement and who's
24600-656: The vote – the lowest of any party forming a majority government in the post-war era, leading to concerns about the proportionality of the election . In his victory speech Starmer thanked Labour Party workers for their work – including nearly five years of revamping and rebranding Labour in the face of Conservative dominance – and urged them to savour the moment, but warned them of challenges ahead and pledged his government would seek "national renewal": We did it! You campaigned for it, you fought for it, you voted for it and now it has arrived. Change begins now. And it feels good, I have to be honest. Four-and-a-half years of work changing
24764-399: The vote; of those 89% voting in favour of strike action and 11% against. The ballot at Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern did not support strike action but supported industrial action short of a strike. Mick Lynch , General Secretary of the RMT said the decision "sends a clear message that members want a decent pay rise, job security and no compulsory redundancies". The action would see
24928-480: The week. On 14 February, ASLEF announced that drivers at five train operators – Chiltern, c2c, East Midlands, Northern and TransPennine – had voted for a further six months of industrial action. On 14 August 2024, and following further negotiations with the Department for Transport , ASLEF announced it would ballot its members on a revised pay offer. On 18 September, ASLEF announced that its members had accepted
25092-519: Was a powerful advocate of the rights of everyone in Holborn and St Pancras throughout his highly distinguished parliamentary career. Widely respected and widely regarded, he served the people of Holborn and St Pancras for 36 years. Although I doubt I will clock up 36 years, I intend to follow in Frank Dobson's footsteps—albeit my jokes are likely to seem tame when compared with his, and I might give
25256-516: Was an important part of bringing communities together following the Good Friday Agreement , and Starmer later cited his work on policing in Northern Ireland as being a key influence on his decision to pursue a political career: "Some of the things I thought that needed to change in police services we achieved more quickly than we achieved in strategic litigation... I came better to understand how you can change by being inside and getting
25420-496: Was announced on 24 May 2022 that they had voted in favour of strike action, paving the way for the UK's first national rail strike for three decades. Workers at Avanti West Coast , c2c , Chiltern Railways , CrossCountry , East Midlands Railway , Greater Anglia , Great Western (GWR), London North Eastern Railway , Northern Trains , Southeastern , South Western Railway , TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains voted to strike, with 71% of those balloted taking part in
25584-444: Was announced the strikes had been called off following last minute talks between union representatives and Transport for London . Strikes involving around 3,000 RMT staff were planned for 4 and 6 October, but were cancelled on 3 October following "significant progress" in talks over pay and conditions. On 5 January 2024, and following the breakdown of last minute talks with Transport for London , London Underground staff belonging to
25748-469: Was appointed to Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Home Office Minister in July 2015. He resigned from this role in June 2016 as part of the widespread Shadow Cabinet resignations in protest at Corbyn's leadership following the 2016 EU Referendum result. Following Corbyn's re-election at the September 2016 leadership election , Starmer accepted a new post from Corbyn as Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting
25912-511: Was deemed to be bringing a focus on human rights into the legal system. In 2011 he introduced reforms that included the "first test paperless hearing". During his time as DPP Starmer dealt with a number of major cases including the Stephen Lawrence murder case , where he brought his murderers to justice. In February 2010 Starmer announced the CPS's decision to prosecute three Labour MPs and a Conservative peer for offences relating to false accounting in
26076-434: Was held in Northern Ireland on 1 February 2024, affecting bus and train services. On 22 February, Unite, GMB and Siptu called a three-day strike for 27, 28 and 29 February. On 25 February, the unions confirmed the strike had been suspended following the receipt of a renewed pay offer, which would be put to their members in a ballot. On 12 March, Unite, GMB and Siptu announced that their members had "decisively voted to reject"
26240-529: Was reported that members of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) had voted to accept a 7.1% pay rise following an ongoing dispute with Merseyrail which had led to strike action. Unlike the train operators involved in the national dispute, Merseyrail is a fully devolved Train Operating Company and therefore not required to consult the government on issues such as levels of pay and industrial disputes. Manuel Cortes , General Secretary of
26404-484: Was right to position Labour as "the party of anti-austerity ". He indicated he would continue with the Labour policy of scrapping tuition fees as well as pledging "common ownership" of rail, mail, energy and water companies, and called for ending outsourcing in the NHS, local government and the justice system. Starmer was declared the winner of Labour's leadership contest on 4 April 2020, defeating his rivals, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy , with 56.2 per cent of
26568-439: Was subsequently staged on 13 August. On 25 August, train drivers at Chiltern Railways, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express belonging to the ASLEF union voted to take strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions. On 31 August, ASLEF announced that train drivers from 12 train companies would strike on 15 September, but the strike was suspended following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September. On 20 September
26732-421: Was the case when asked in 2015. Starmer passed the 11-plus examination and gained entry to Reigate Grammar School , then a voluntary-aided selective grammar school . Reigate GS converted into an independent fee-paying school in 1976, while he was a student. The terms of the conversion were such that his parents were not required to pay for his schooling until he turned 16, and when he reached that point,
26896-495: Was to declare the Rwanda asylum plan as "dead": the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper , would establish a Border Security Command to tackle smuggling gangs which facilitate illegal migrant crossings over the English Channel . Starmer went on a tour of the four nations of the UK , meeting with leaders including John Swinney , Michelle O'Neill , and Vaughan Gething . He also met the twelve regional mayors and announced
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