Sir Keir Starmer, has made a heartfelt tribute to his "wonderful" brother Nick, who sadly passed away at the age of 60 after a battle with cancer. The Labour leader recounted how Nick had faced life's obstacles "all the challenges life threw at him with courage and good humour".
His younger sibling, who experienced learning difficulties due to birth complications, died peacefully on Boxing Day, as reported by the Prime Minister’s spokesperson. Despite planning a holiday getaway with his family on Friday (December 27), Sir Keir will remain home, intending to join them later.
In his statement, he said: "My brother Nick was a wonderful man." He elaborated, "He met all the challenges life threw at him with courage and good humour. We will miss him very much."
Additionally, he expressed deep gratitude to those involved in Nick's care, saying, "I would like to thank all those who treated and took care of Nick. Their skill and compassion is very much appreciated."
In an intimate reflection shared in a recent biography by journalist and former Labour adviser Tom Baldwin, Sir Keir spoke candidly about his and Nick's childhood experiences in Surrey. The brothers once shared a bedroom equipped with bunk beds and just enough room for their desks for homework.
It was a family tradition that saw each Starmer child receiving a dog on their 10th birthday, and twin siblings Nick and Katy were given Jack Russell terriers named Greg and Ben.
Furthermore, the biography shed light on their mother Jo's dedication to teaching Nick to read, despite the school labelling him as "remedial", a term Sir Keir remembers well.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader and middle child among four siblings, shared a poignant reflection on his brother's experience with education: "They had no expectation of him or anything and I’m not sure he even sat exams, so he had nothing to show for coming out of education."
He recounted their childhood, noting that despite being part of a six-person family, his brother Nick faced loneliness and was often labelled 'thick' or 'stupid' by other children. Sir Keir emphasised, "Even now I try to avoid using words like that to describe anyone."
Nick found work with scrap cars and scaffolding, managing to rent a home close to where they grew up. The book reveals that Sir Keir served as best man at Nick's wedding, recalling how he borrowed a car so Nick wouldn't have to drive his bride from the church in his old minivan filled with clothes.
Although Nick's marriage eventually ended and he spent some time living in Yorkshire, the bond between the brothers remained strong.
In 2022, during a critical period of local election campaigning, Sir Keir took time off to visit his seriously ill brother in the hospital. At this year's Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Sir Keir spoke about Nick while discussing the importance of access to art and culture and the removal of social barriers. He told delegates, "My brother, who had difficulties learning, he didn’t get those opportunities."
Reflecting on his own achievements, he shared a powerful message from their father: "Every time I achieved something in my life, my dad used to say, ‘Your brother has achieved just as much as you, Keir’." Sir Keir affirmed, "And he was right. I still believe that."
Mr Baldwin, writing for The Times on Friday, reflected on the moment back in 2023 when he found out from Sir Keir Starmer that his brother was fighting a battle against lung cancer. He shared: "This has been a huge part of his life over the past couple of years, during which he made regular trips to Leeds where his brother was in hospital."
"Even throughout the election campaign and since becoming Prime Minister, Starmer continued these visits discreetly, without any camera crews present."
"He became so well-acquainted with the nurses and doctors caring for his brother that he memorised their names, and they allowed him to enter the hospital through a backdoor, keeping visits away from the public eye."
Tributes and condolences poured in from across the political spectrum, including from Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, who expressed her sorrow on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter: "This is such awful news. Particularly devastating at Christmas time. My sincere condolences to Keir Starmer and all his family."
Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris also extended his heartfelt sentiments, commenting: "My sincere sympathy to Keir Starmer and his family on such sad news."
"They are in my thoughts at this difficult time."
