Keir Starmer was considering resigning as Labor leader after defeat in the 2021 Hartlepool by-election, according to a new biography.
The Conservative loss in the Durham County constituency was a blow to Mr Starmer, who had held the seat since the party was founded in 1974. Almost two and a half years later, Labor achieved a double success by leading in the polls and winning. By-elections will be held in Wellingborough and Kingswood on Friday.
A new book on the Labor leader published in The Times reveals that the Holborn and St Pancras MP told aides shortly after the Hartlepool defeat that he intended to resign before he could be persuaded to remain. It has been suggested that.
Former aide Chris Ward told biographer Tom Baldwin: I told him it was too early for that, but it had been a rough few hours. ”
Starmer, who became Labor leader in April 2020, reflected on the defeat in his book. he said: “I’m not fulfilling a lifelong dream here. I could happily work in a bookstore or something.”
Starmer’s wife, Vic, was among those who urged him not to act too hastily, the book said. Another key figure who helped Starmer stay in office was Morgan McSweeney, who remains Labour’s highly influential campaign manager.
Starmer also responded to Donald Trump’s threat to withhold protection from countries he believes do not pay enough to maintain NATO, saying he would “stand up for our allies” if he became prime minister. Stated.
The Labor leader told the Sunday Telegraph: Bad politics puts our safety at risk. ”
Labor has had a productive few days after achieving its biggest by-election breakthrough since 1994, overturning a majority of more than 18,000 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
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Gene Kitchen won with 13,844 votes, beating Conservative Helen Harrison who received 7,408 votes.
In Kingswood, South Gloucestershire, Labor overturned a Conservative majority of 11,220 votes to win Chris Skidmore’s former seat. Damien Egan received 11,176 votes and Conservative candidate Sam Bromiley received 8,675 votes, giving Labor a majority of 2,501 votes.
These were the government’s ninth and 10th defeats in by-elections since the 2019 general election.
