Keir Starmer Reveals Desert Island discs, Opens Up on Family Loss and Music Education
Chequers – In a deeply personal interview recorded at Chequers last week, labor leader Keir Starmer revealed his musical tastes range from Stormzy and northern soul to the music of Swan lake, and spoke candidly about the impact of music during times of personal grief and the importance of arts education. The discussion, part of the BBC’s Desert Island Discs program, offered a rare glimpse into the private life of the potential next Prime Minister and highlighted his concerns about the decline of music in schools and the challenges faced by British musicians post-Brexit.
Starmer shared intimate details of his family life, including his mother’s battle with Still’s disease, a rare auto-inflammatory disorder, and her death weeks before his election as an MP in 2015. He recounted his father’s efforts to ensure she could witness his swearing-in, a moment that tragically did not come to pass. He also became emotional discussing the death of his younger brother, Nick, aged 60 on Boxing Day last year, stating, “It really hit me…I just wanted to grieve for my little brother. And music gave me a place to go to escape from all of that.” His first song choice was music from Swan Lake,a tribute to his mother’s love of ballet.
The labour leader also expressed concern over the diminishing role of music in the school curriculum. “I think we’ve let music, creatives and art slip too much,” he said. “It is a concern that the numbers have gone down.I think to be fair we need to signal what an A-level in music might give to you.”
Starmer further addressed the difficulties British musicians have faced touring in Europe since Brexit. “it’s had a huge inhibiting effect,” he stated. ”And I genuinely don’t think anybody voted in that referendum, whether they voted to remain or to leave, to make it harder for musicians and artists to be able to perform in other countries.” He affirmed his commitment to finding solutions, adding, “I absolutely understand the urgency and the need for this, and I’m absolutely steadfast that we will do whatever we can to make it easier.”
