Strict and perhaps a bit dull – but also a ruthless negotiator who doesn't back down from tough challenges. Britain's new Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been given the ungrateful task of leading the country out of a severe economic crisis.
A "Starmer tsunami" is sweeping through Britain. Yesterday's British parliamentary election became a landslide victory for the social democratic Labour and the former Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer.
We did it! Change begins now, said a triumphant Starmer when it became clear that Labour had won a clear majority of constituencies – and thus ousted the conservative Tories from power.
But who is Keir Starmer really and what politics does he stand for? The low-profile human rights advocate's profile is highlighted by several analysts as the key to his success. During the election campaign, he has repeatedly stated that he stands for "change" – but exactly how he will lead the country to renewal has been less clear.
Unclear politics?
In a voter survey conducted by the British opinion institute Ipsos in June, half of the respondents said they did not know what politics Starmer stood for. Critics are quick to point out Starmer as a colourless bureaucrat who lacks many of his predecessors' charisma.
In the late 1990s – at the same time as New Labour was flirting with the country's young voters – Starmer stood on the barricades and defended two environmental activists against McDonald's. In 2005, he helped to abolish the death penalty in Uganda, which saved the lives of over 400 death row prisoners.
During the turbulent Tory years, he appeared as a safe haven, and his success is seen as a longing for some kind of normality.
Top grades
Starmer often highlights his working-class background, which has made it easier for many voters to identify with him in times when they have had to tighten their belts due to rising expenses.
In a newly released biography, Starmer tells that his family often had to turn every penny in his childhood home, a stark contrast to the wealthy predecessor Rishi Sunak.
As a 16-year-old, Starmer joined Labour's youth association, and for a short time, he was editor of a left-wing radical magazine. Young Starmer graduated from school with top grades and studied law in Leeds and later in Oxford.
It wasn't until 2015 that he became a full-time politician, and five years later – as newly elected Labour leader – he expelled socialist Jeremy Corbyn from the party. Several analysts believe that Starmer is trying to steer Labour towards the centre.
Now his supporters hope that he will become a modern version of Tony Blair, albeit with a beige tone.
