LONDON (AP) – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's brother has died, Downing Street said in a statement Friday. Nick Starmer, 60, died on Thursday after suffering from cancer.
The 62-year-old prime minister paid tribute to his younger brother, praising him as a “wonderful person”.
“He faced every challenge life threw at him with courage and humor,” he said. “We will miss him very much.”
Mr Starmer also thanked everyone who cared for his brother.
“Their skill and compassion are greatly appreciated,” he said.
The Prime Minister was due to go on holiday on Friday but is now believed to be at home.
The Starmer brothers grew up in Surrey, south-east of London, in a family of four siblings. Nick Starmer had a learning disability due to complications at birth.
In a recent biography by Tom Baldwin, the prime minister spoke candidly about his brother.
“We were a family of six so we didn't feel lonely and we shared a room with him, but Nick didn't have many friends and was called 'brazen' and 'stupid' by the other kids. “I was told that,” Starmer said.
“Even now, I try not to use words like that to describe someone.”
