9 things we learned about 'hard b*****d' Keir Starmer from Trump to family life
The Prime Minister has been branded a "hard b****d" as he prepares for his second year in power.
In an interview with the BBC's Political Thinking podcast, Keir Starmer admitted that the past week has been "tough" - but maintained he has not "lost the dressing room". Mr Starmer also opened up about his relationship with Donald Trump, saying he understands what "anchors" the President.
He vowed to "keep punching through" after a difficult first 12 months in Downing Street, and said he is proud of what Labour has achieved. But he admitted mistakes have been made - including failure to engage with disgruntled backbenchers over welfare changes.
The PM also threw his support behind Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who was seen crying in the Commons on Wednesday.
Here we look at some of the stand-out things he told host Nick Robinson in the wide-ranging interview.
Whether he's a hard b****d
The PM was told by Mr Robinson: "One of your friends who plays football with you, he says his words, you're a hard b******. Now, being this far behind in the polls with a Chancellor who people lack confidence in, with a Labour Party that's denied you a Parliamentary majority on something you believe in, are you a hard enough b****** to look in the mirror and say, I've got to change the party's got to change something serious has to change."
The PM replied: "We'll keep on punching through. I'm a hard enough b****** to find out who it was who said that so I can have a discussion with him."
'I've not lost the dressing room'
After a difficult few days, Mr Starmer said he has not "lost the dressing room".
He said: "Yes, it's been tough. I'm the sort person that then wants to reflect on that, to ask myself what do we need to ensure we don't get into a situation like that again. And we'll go through that process
"But I also know what we will do, and that is we will come through it stronger. And that's what I've always done."
He later added: "A s we go through the long list of things that we've achieved this year the Labour dressing room, the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party) is proud as hell of what we've done."
What went wrong on welfare
The Prime Minister admitted he should have engaged with Labour backbenchers better as concerns came to light. But he said the need for reform remains.
He was forced to roll back on his plans after MPs refused to back plans to cut access to personal independence payments (PIP) and health aspects of Universal Credit.
The PM said: "We didn't get the process right. As I say Labour MPs are absolutely invested in this. It matters to them to get things like this right. And we didn't get that process right. We didn't engage in the way that we should have done."
On Rachel Reeves' tears
The interview happened hours after Chancellor Rachel Reeves was seen crying in the Commons chamber at PMQs.
He denied it was anything to do with political matters. He said: "She's made it clear it's a personal matter and I'm not going to go into the personal matter of a colleague."
And he continued: "She's done a fantastic job. She and I work together, we think together... We're in lockstep."
"It's got nothing to do with politics, nothing to do, with any discussion between me and Rachel, nothing to do with the matters of this week... She will be Chancellor for a very long time to come."
Why changed view on grooming gangs
The Prime Minister described himself as a "pragmatist". He said: "So just to very briefly guve the example of grooming gangs., way back 15 years ago I prosecuted the first of these cases of the grooming cases.
"So I know firsthand what it means for victims and calling for things like mandatory reporting in these cases for a very, very long time. And it matters to me that we get it right.
" Having had lots of inquiries, I thought we should get on with implementing the recommendations that we had. But I did ask Louise Casey to do an audit check for me, that that would help me out."
He went on: "I asked Louise, I said, I need to be sure that we're in the right place on this. Louise Casey has got a reputation for getting to bottom of matters. She did an audit..
"I read it through, from end to end. And she herself had actually gone into the review thinking we didn't need a national inquiry. She then uncovered things which changed her mind.
"I went through that and I decided the right thing to do was to follow her recommendation."
Spending too much time overseas?
The Prime Minister defended the amount of time he has been spending overseas, amid questions about whether it is affecting domestic policy. Mr Starmer shot back that good relations with world leaders brings real-world benefits to Britons.
He said: "It is important to have a good relationship with, President Trump, rooted in the national interest, but it also helped us when we were negotiating a trade deal, which wasn't good. So why don't you do it?"
The PM added: "The car manufacturing industry was likely to be hit with a hefty tariff if we didn't get a trade deal of 27.5%." He went on: "Building those relationships with international leaders is hugely important. Getting to know people, what their instincts are, that is in the national interest."
The PM said he'd had "a glass of wine" with French President Emmanuel Macrobn which paved the way for a trade agreement with the EU. "That helped when we got to the reset that delivered for us and the SPF agreement, which means that the prices will come down in a supermarket near you," he said.
Secret visits to Leeds Hospital to see dying brother
Before and after the general election, Mr Starmer secretly visited his brother Nick, who died on Boxing Day. He would use the porters' lift in order to evade being spotted, he revealed.
The PM said: "It's really hard to lose your brother, to cancer. He was a very vulnerable man. He had difficulties when he was growing up and never really had security in his life.
"That's why I do understand firsthand what it means to have respect and security. That's why it's hard wired into my politics. And he was that diagnosed, with stage four lung cancer.
"I wasn't sure how he would cope with that. I made it my business to be there in the hospital when he was told so I could begin to help look after him. I don't think he would have wanted or withstood any public, knowledge of where he was at, and I wanted fiercely to protect him. And that's why, both before the election and after the election, I went secretly to see him in hospital.
"He was intensive care for a long time." The PM said this often involved using a porters lift so he was not spotted. "The staff there were absolutely brilliant, as they always are," he said.
Flat is 22 seconds from office
The PM said it is really important for him to spend time with his family despite the pressures of his job.
He said: "There is, an upside (to living in Downing Street) because the flat is 22 seconds from my office. I've timed it, but it means I can see the children, I can pop up when they're around.
"And I do, because it is really important. Because, look, my family really means a huge amount to me. My wife Vic is an absolute rock. by my side and my kids are my pride and joy."
Wouldn't swap worst day in power for opposition
The Prime Minister said that he found being in opposition frustrating - and he wouldn't swap the worst day in power for his old life.
Mr Starmer said: "I came into politics to change lives, having had nine long years in opposition, frustrated that we were in opposition, unable to change lives. I wouldn't swap a single day of the last year with opposition. And we've done some fantastic things ."
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