Sir Keir Starmer hopes he can resolve 'estranged' relationship with late father

Sir Keir Starmer told Sky News he “would be proud” if his late father finished in No. 10.

Towards Sophie Rich’s Political CenterThe Labor leader expanded on what he described as an “estranged” relationship, saying he hoped the estrangement in his relationship with his father had been “resolved” before his death.

Sir Keir’s father Rodney Starmer, better known as Rod, was a toolmaker who spent much of his time caring for labor The leader’s mother is sick.

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josephine Died in 2015 – Just before Sir Keir became an MP – Rod died in 2018, two years before their son took over the official opposition.

Sir Keir told Ridge: “My mum was very ill and needed someone in her life who was completely committed to her health and put her above everything else.

“That’s what my dad did.”

Josephine suffers from a rare condition called Still’s disease, which causes joint pain, week-long fever and rashes.

sir keir Rod said he would make sure he understood every medication his mother was prescribed and how they interacted “to make sure nothing went wrong.”

Acts of devotion like this and sleeping in the hospital while his mother was there put a strain on Keir Starmer’s relationship with his father.

“I think emotional space is being squeezed more than it might otherwise be,” he said.

“That’s because he invested everything in my mom and I should probably address that before he died.

“I wish I had—but I don’t.”

The Labor leader was asked how his father would feel if Sir Keir did come to Downing Street.

“He would be proud… He would have a really hard time expressing pride, especially to his children,” he said.

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Sir Keir became emotional as he recounted a discovery he made after his father’s death, saying: “I found this folder with all the achievements he had kept in it.

“He had a book of newspaper clippings that he hid in the back of a cupboard, but he cut them out and kept them. I didn’t know that.

“I wish I knew that so he would be as proud as I am of my own children.”

Sir Keir, who has two children aged 13 and 15, told Ridge he had learned from his relationship with Rod and was starting to raise his own family.

He told Rich: “I make spending time with my kids a very important part of my life.

“I don’t want to be that person — and that’s often the case — who ten years from now says I wish I could spend more time with my kids.

“If you want to spend more time with your kids, spend more time with your kids.”

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This includes taking them to sports clubs and spending Friday nights together – a rule the Starmers are “very strict” about.

“The bottom line is that when I walk in the front door and the luggage stays there, I’m the dad, their dad, and most of the time that means they can rip anything off me under the sun,” he said.