Keir Starmer

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 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 for a second referendum on Brexit.

He served under Jeremy Corbyn as Shadow Brexit Secretary and, following Corbyn's resignation after Labour's defeat at the 2019 general election, Starmer succeeded him by winning the 2020 leadership election. As Leader of the Opposition, he moved the Labour Party towards the political centre and emphasised the elimination of antisemitism within the party. His party made significant gains at the 2023 and 2024 local elections amidst a significant drop in membership in the years prior.

Starmer led Labour to a landslide victory at the 2024 general election, ending 14 years of Conservative government with the smallest vote share of any majority government since record-keeping began in 1830. Under Starmer's premiership, his government ended certain Winter Fuel Payments, implemented an early-release scheme for thousands of prisoners to decrease prison overcrowding, and settled several public-sector strikes.

He launched the Border Security Command to replace the Rwanda asylum plan and a National Violent Disorder Programme following nationwide riots in 2024, and established Great British Energy. Starmer restricted visa conditions and closed legal migration routes, as outlined in his government's migration white paper. His government has also announced changes to the planning system, workers' and renters' rights, an increase in the minimum wage, and investmen