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Red Knight: The Unauthorised Biography of Sir Keir Starmer
Book of the Day – The Guardian “Well-researched … well-written … even-handed … balanced.” – Baroness Hoey, The Critic “Red Knight is well written and researched and, I think, pretty fair.” – Daniel Finkelstein, The Times “Ashcroft has done his research and he does tell us important things about Starmer.” – The Independent “Well-researched, fair and objective … Lord Ashcroft’s book is a great aid to answering questions [about Starmer] and posing a few more.” – TCW “Comprehensive.” – The Tablet “Surprisingly sympathetic.” – MoneyWeek *** Sir Keir Starmer has played many parts during his life and career. He went from schoolboy socialist to radical lawyer before surprising many by joining the establishment, becoming Director of Public Prosecutions, accepting a knighthood and then, in 2015, standing successfully for Parliament. At Westminster, he was swiftly elevated to the shadow Cabinet, and in April 2020 he became the leader of the Labour Party. Michael Ashcroft’s new book goes in search of the man who wants to be Prime Minister and reveals previously unknown details about him which help to explain what makes him tick. Starmer was the architect of Labour’s second-referendum Brexit policy, which was considered a major factor in its worst electoral defeat for nearly a century. Is he the man to bring back Labour’s lost voters? Is he the voice of competence and moderation who can put his party back on the political map? Or is he just a member of the metropolitan elite who is prepared to say and do whatever it takes to win favour? This meticulous examination of his life offers voters the chance to answer these vital questions.
- GenresPolitics
Hardcover
Published August 19, 2021
5 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Michael Ashcroft
38 books13 followersMichael Anthony P. Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft, KCMG, PC is an English–Belizean businessman and politician. He is a former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party. Ashcroft founded Michael A. Ashcroft Associates in 1972 and is the 95th richest person in the UK, as ranked by the Sunday Times Rich List 2017, with an estimated fortune of £1.35 billion.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 21, 2022
Intriguing insight into a figure who may be poised to be the next British leader! A little offhand and sometimes too critical (political bias by writer in flagrant view) but still quite the portrait painted!
October 28, 2023
I've always tried to work out with each politician seeking my vote whether they're in it for their own glory or to try to improve things. It's become increasingly harder over the years, either because I've wised up and become harsher or because politicians have become better tricksters through media training, or some of their behaviour has been scurrilous, and some have become adept at spouting what may propel them to power but concealing some unpopular truths.
My starting point is a fascinating admiration for someone who puts themselves into the harsh spotlight of media and public interrogation, criticism and potential ridicule though the prize is a place in history.
Before reading former Conservative party chairman Michael Ashcroft's account of Sir Keir Starmer, I'd not made up my mind about the Labour leader. I knew little about him apart from him having served as Director of Public Prosecutions before becoming an MP, being a constant thorn in the Government's side as it attempted to make Brexit happen, and his speeches which have always left me feeling underwhelmed in their lack of content, lack of emotion and lack of vocal delivery.
I was also suspicious reading it as to whether the author's Conservative bias may tarnish his appraisal of what could be our next Labour Prime Minister. I'm pleased to say that he's given a fair account of Starmer's life up to 2019, seeking out both credit and criticism. Unfortunately, both for Ashcroft and Starmer, the book was published too early with Labour and its leader still trailing the Conservative Government and then Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the polls. If it had been published now it would have sold more copies from those curious as to what the odds on PM to be is really like, and also tell the tale of how he has turned his and his party's fortunes around. Or has he?
One of the themes I took from the book is that Sir Keir Starmer has been lucky to get to where he is and continues to be, scoring voter poll points from the unpopularity of the Conservatives rather than from his or his party's vision. After all, I couldn't have told you from reading this book what Starmer's personal mission as Labour leader is or what he wants to do as Prime Minister or how he wants to change the country. It's only since this year's Labour conference that I've now an idea - that he wants to renew some of our core services including building swathes of social housing - but I'm still unclear as to how financially he'll be able to do it unless the economy grows, which the financial experts tell us is unlikely for the foreseeable future.
The author starts his book by informing the reader that he wrote to Starmer twice to tell him what he was up to and that his book would be objective. He didn't get a reply. However he says he found out from some of Starmer's friends that "he was not comfortable with this book, and that he would rather they did not participate in it." Interesting, I thought. Here's the leader of the opposition who wants to be Prime Minister who first, doesn't even reply and then tells his mates not to play ball. Does he lack courtesy, why not engage and partake showing leadership skills, is he trying to suppress anything?
Ashcroft answers some of my suspicions in the first few chapters in which he assesses Starmer's claim that he's from a working class home where his dad worked long hours in a factory. Ashcroft reveals that Starmer's father owned the tool making factory he worked in and was more "petit bourgeois" than working class. He also reveals how Starmer was not only educated at a traditional grammar school, but in his adult life "has stayed close to Reigate Grammar since leaving it" despite leading a party which opposes any expansion of grammar schools, though I think I'm correct in saying, is yet to announce whether it would attempt to phase out existing ones.
The author give Starmer credit for his core belief in human rights quoting the man himself - "it's not so much the individual rights, but it's the human dignity that sits behind human rights, how we treat individuals." This laudable quality it's clear is something which has driven Keir Starmer from his days as a Leeds University law student to his appointment as Director of Public Prosecutions. But I'm now asking myself why Starmer didn't call for a ceasefire in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in support of Gazan civilians' human rights?
Ashcroft clearly makes the distinction of Starmer's life as a human rights barrister taking on the Government and the legal system, and then as DPP, defending the law and being the country's top prosecutor. I was fascinated to learn, for example, that as a human rights lawyer Starmer represented the man who murdered Essex Policeman Brian Bishop in Frinton on Sea. The murderer had been recommended for parole in November 2001 but wasn't freed from prison till August 2002, "leading to him seeking compensation for the "extra" period in which he was incarcerated. Ultimately, this was denied" writes Ashcroft. I was left open mouthed that, one, such compensation was even contemplated and, two, that Starmer agreed to represent him. However, Ashcroft points out that the practice Starmer was working for didn't discriminate and that every person seeking representation was to be given a fair hearing.
Ashcroft writes that when Starmer became what is the relatively low paid DPP, his colleagues reckoned that instead he could have become a very rich first rate lawyer, given his legal prowess. The author includes descriptions by acquaintances and colleagues of Starmer's working life showing him to have a top intellect excelling at attention to detail. It's no surprise therefore that, as Labour's exiting the EU shadow minister, time and again he was trying to stall the Conservative government's attempt to get Brexit done. Ashcroft paints him as a broken record, describing Starmer's attempts to delay it, and concludes that it's a fair judgement to say that Starmer was always holding out for a second referendum on the final Brexit draft with an additional question, would you like to remain.
The author's very detailed account of Starmer during the Brexit period set off in my mind as to how Starmer will approach the UK's position now we're out of the EU, should he become Prime Minister. Ashcroft illustrates a deviancy in Starmer's position throughout the Brexit period and includes how easily his party's totally confused approach to it in the 2019 General Election was trashed in a pre election interview on breakfast time tv. The author quite rightly, assesses that it was Labour's muddled approach to Brexit, as well as leader Jeremy Corbyn's left wing politics, that allowed Johnson to win an eighty seat majority in 2019.
It prompts the question in my mind, could a Prime Minister Starmer attempt to take us back in or at least cosy up to the EU. I certainly wouldn't rule it out, given the U turns we've already seen from the Labour politician including now keeping university student fees having previously told us he'd scrap them.
Just as Starmer, as Labour leader, has benefited from Sunak's woes to get within touching distance of becoming PM, I sense from Red Knight that it was a similar story with him quietly jockeying for position to become the party's leader amid Corbyn's woes over his anti-semitism row. There's a whole book to be written on whether there's real, hard evidence to suggest that Corbyn was ever anti Jewish or simply an advocate of justice for Palestinians which in itself is not anti semitic. But I'm surprised there's nothing in this book to suggest that Starmer, a former DPP and a first class legal brain, didn't himself come to any conclusion on the matter at the time. Instead, he's portrayed as loitering in Labour's shadows, ready to put himself up as the party's saviour after Corbyn's resignation in a leadership contest of second rate leader hopefuls.
Red Knight was published in 2021, a year after Sir Keir Starmer became Labour leader, and Ashcroft writes of an unimpressive first few months as leader of the opposition -"he needs to be bolder and surprise people...he's letting Boris off the hook...he sounds shifty and opportunistic....he's commenting on events not leading...he lacks the killer instinct." The list goes on - his unconvincing speaking style, his voice's lack of emotion and power, his failure to get out from his London constituency enough to former northern Labour heartlands. I'm left asking myself has Sir Keir Starmer changed since then.
It's towards the end of the book that Michael Ashcroft asks the killer question, in the words of veteran political commentator Mark Seddon - "we simply don't know what Sir Keir believes in."
That is the question I'm still trying to answer just months ahead of a General Election which will either see Sir Keir Starmer elevated into No.10 or consigned like Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn into the tiny footnotes of history.
My starting point is a fascinating admiration for someone who puts themselves into the harsh spotlight of media and public interrogation, criticism and potential ridicule though the prize is a place in history.
Before reading former Conservative party chairman Michael Ashcroft's account of Sir Keir Starmer, I'd not made up my mind about the Labour leader. I knew little about him apart from him having served as Director of Public Prosecutions before becoming an MP, being a constant thorn in the Government's side as it attempted to make Brexit happen, and his speeches which have always left me feeling underwhelmed in their lack of content, lack of emotion and lack of vocal delivery.
I was also suspicious reading it as to whether the author's Conservative bias may tarnish his appraisal of what could be our next Labour Prime Minister. I'm pleased to say that he's given a fair account of Starmer's life up to 2019, seeking out both credit and criticism. Unfortunately, both for Ashcroft and Starmer, the book was published too early with Labour and its leader still trailing the Conservative Government and then Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the polls. If it had been published now it would have sold more copies from those curious as to what the odds on PM to be is really like, and also tell the tale of how he has turned his and his party's fortunes around. Or has he?
One of the themes I took from the book is that Sir Keir Starmer has been lucky to get to where he is and continues to be, scoring voter poll points from the unpopularity of the Conservatives rather than from his or his party's vision. After all, I couldn't have told you from reading this book what Starmer's personal mission as Labour leader is or what he wants to do as Prime Minister or how he wants to change the country. It's only since this year's Labour conference that I've now an idea - that he wants to renew some of our core services including building swathes of social housing - but I'm still unclear as to how financially he'll be able to do it unless the economy grows, which the financial experts tell us is unlikely for the foreseeable future.
The author starts his book by informing the reader that he wrote to Starmer twice to tell him what he was up to and that his book would be objective. He didn't get a reply. However he says he found out from some of Starmer's friends that "he was not comfortable with this book, and that he would rather they did not participate in it." Interesting, I thought. Here's the leader of the opposition who wants to be Prime Minister who first, doesn't even reply and then tells his mates not to play ball. Does he lack courtesy, why not engage and partake showing leadership skills, is he trying to suppress anything?
Ashcroft answers some of my suspicions in the first few chapters in which he assesses Starmer's claim that he's from a working class home where his dad worked long hours in a factory. Ashcroft reveals that Starmer's father owned the tool making factory he worked in and was more "petit bourgeois" than working class. He also reveals how Starmer was not only educated at a traditional grammar school, but in his adult life "has stayed close to Reigate Grammar since leaving it" despite leading a party which opposes any expansion of grammar schools, though I think I'm correct in saying, is yet to announce whether it would attempt to phase out existing ones.
The author give Starmer credit for his core belief in human rights quoting the man himself - "it's not so much the individual rights, but it's the human dignity that sits behind human rights, how we treat individuals." This laudable quality it's clear is something which has driven Keir Starmer from his days as a Leeds University law student to his appointment as Director of Public Prosecutions. But I'm now asking myself why Starmer didn't call for a ceasefire in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in support of Gazan civilians' human rights?
Ashcroft clearly makes the distinction of Starmer's life as a human rights barrister taking on the Government and the legal system, and then as DPP, defending the law and being the country's top prosecutor. I was fascinated to learn, for example, that as a human rights lawyer Starmer represented the man who murdered Essex Policeman Brian Bishop in Frinton on Sea. The murderer had been recommended for parole in November 2001 but wasn't freed from prison till August 2002, "leading to him seeking compensation for the "extra" period in which he was incarcerated. Ultimately, this was denied" writes Ashcroft. I was left open mouthed that, one, such compensation was even contemplated and, two, that Starmer agreed to represent him. However, Ashcroft points out that the practice Starmer was working for didn't discriminate and that every person seeking representation was to be given a fair hearing.
Ashcroft writes that when Starmer became what is the relatively low paid DPP, his colleagues reckoned that instead he could have become a very rich first rate lawyer, given his legal prowess. The author includes descriptions by acquaintances and colleagues of Starmer's working life showing him to have a top intellect excelling at attention to detail. It's no surprise therefore that, as Labour's exiting the EU shadow minister, time and again he was trying to stall the Conservative government's attempt to get Brexit done. Ashcroft paints him as a broken record, describing Starmer's attempts to delay it, and concludes that it's a fair judgement to say that Starmer was always holding out for a second referendum on the final Brexit draft with an additional question, would you like to remain.
The author's very detailed account of Starmer during the Brexit period set off in my mind as to how Starmer will approach the UK's position now we're out of the EU, should he become Prime Minister. Ashcroft illustrates a deviancy in Starmer's position throughout the Brexit period and includes how easily his party's totally confused approach to it in the 2019 General Election was trashed in a pre election interview on breakfast time tv. The author quite rightly, assesses that it was Labour's muddled approach to Brexit, as well as leader Jeremy Corbyn's left wing politics, that allowed Johnson to win an eighty seat majority in 2019.
It prompts the question in my mind, could a Prime Minister Starmer attempt to take us back in or at least cosy up to the EU. I certainly wouldn't rule it out, given the U turns we've already seen from the Labour politician including now keeping university student fees having previously told us he'd scrap them.
Just as Starmer, as Labour leader, has benefited from Sunak's woes to get within touching distance of becoming PM, I sense from Red Knight that it was a similar story with him quietly jockeying for position to become the party's leader amid Corbyn's woes over his anti-semitism row. There's a whole book to be written on whether there's real, hard evidence to suggest that Corbyn was ever anti Jewish or simply an advocate of justice for Palestinians which in itself is not anti semitic. But I'm surprised there's nothing in this book to suggest that Starmer, a former DPP and a first class legal brain, didn't himself come to any conclusion on the matter at the time. Instead, he's portrayed as loitering in Labour's shadows, ready to put himself up as the party's saviour after Corbyn's resignation in a leadership contest of second rate leader hopefuls.
Red Knight was published in 2021, a year after Sir Keir Starmer became Labour leader, and Ashcroft writes of an unimpressive first few months as leader of the opposition -"he needs to be bolder and surprise people...he's letting Boris off the hook...he sounds shifty and opportunistic....he's commenting on events not leading...he lacks the killer instinct." The list goes on - his unconvincing speaking style, his voice's lack of emotion and power, his failure to get out from his London constituency enough to former northern Labour heartlands. I'm left asking myself has Sir Keir Starmer changed since then.
It's towards the end of the book that Michael Ashcroft asks the killer question, in the words of veteran political commentator Mark Seddon - "we simply don't know what Sir Keir believes in."
That is the question I'm still trying to answer just months ahead of a General Election which will either see Sir Keir Starmer elevated into No.10 or consigned like Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn into the tiny footnotes of history.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2023
Read to discover what kids on Starmer's bus thought of his potential as prime minister. The lack of sources close to the man holds this book back. This gets far better and more informative during Starmer's legal career. Would recommend to anyone who's far too into Starmer whether for for or against him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2024
An essential read for those concerned with the dysfunction in Keir Starmer's newly formed government.
August 30, 2022
This is an excellent biography of SKS, really well researched and insightful. A must read for anyone interested in the LOTO. It does come at it from a slightly scrutineering manner but not to the extent that it impacts the effectiveness of the biography. It is thoroughly interesting and I find Lord A's way of writing very easy to read and captivating. Personally, I think it is very fair on SKS. As with all of his biographies, Lord A does seem to spend a little too much time at the end on contemporary politics, which is already dated and will not age that well as time goes on. The earlier part of the book is timeless though and very interesting, there are a number of myths and misconceptions about SKS that this book slays.
April 4, 2024
Some interesting history and insight although very biased from a prominent Tory. The conclusion is an interesting reminder of how quickly political fortunes change as Starmer is likely to be our next prime minister. There is another recently released book about him that I’ll be interested to read
September 24, 2024
Interesting read, two tier or is that free gear Starmer is a typical politician. A lying, duplicitous, hypocritical, authoritarian William anchor. Worthwhile reading to see what sort of man he is.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews