What did Keir Starmer actually say about his working hours?
With less than 48 hours until the polls open, the Conservatives have accused Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer of planning to be a “part-time Prime Minister” should Labour win the election. This seems to take comments made by Mr Starmer about balancing work with his family life somewhat out of context.
A Conservative post on X (formerly Twitter) says: “Keir Starmer has said he'd clock off work at 6pm if he became Prime Minister. You deserve better than a part-time Prime Minister,” with a supposed screenshot of a personal diary showing the hour after 6pm blocked out with the note “Go Home - If Emergency contact Angela”, a reference to deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner.
Another post by the party shares a photo of Ms Rayner saying: “It’s after 6pm so of course Angela Rayner is back in charge”.
Meanwhile, Conservative health minister Maria Caulfield referred on Sky News this morning to “Keir Starmer saying he was going to be doing a four day week”, which was immediately challenged by Sky’s host Matt Barbet.
But Mr Starmer has not said he’d only work up to 6pm generally, or for four days of the week—he actually said that he’d try to finish work by 6pm specifically on Fridays.
In a Virgin Radio interview yesterday, Mr Starmer was asked by presenter Chris Evans how he would manage balancing parental responsibilities alongside the role of prime minister if Labour is elected.
He responded: “We’ve had a strategy in place and we’ll try to keep to it, which is to carve out really protected time for the kids. So on a Friday—I’ve been doing this for years—I will not do a work-related thing after six o’clock, pretty well come what may ... There are a few exceptions, but that’s what we do.”
He added: “I don’t believe in the theory that you’re a better decision-maker if you don’t allow yourself the space to be a dad and have fun for your kids. Actually, it helps me. It takes me away from the pressure, it relaxes me and I think actually, not only is it what I want to do as a dad, it is better.
“This politics, some people think if you fill your diary 24/7 and don’t do anything else, that makes you a much better decision-maker. I don’t agree with that.”
Mr Starmer has a son and daughter, who are in their teens.
A spokesperson for the Labour leader has reportedly said: “Obviously he recognises things will be different if he does end up in No. 10.” And at a campaign event this morning Mr Starmer said the Conservative claims about his work pattern were “increasingly desperate stuff”.
We’ve also seen Mr Starmer’s original comments being reported incorrectly, or in a misleading way, in the papers.
The first line of an article in the Express says: “Rishi Sunak has mocked Sir Keir Starmer after the Labour leader pledged to clock off at 6pm every day should he win the General Election.”
And an article on the front page of the Daily Telegraph also carries the headline: “I may not work after six as PM, suggests Starmer”, although the body of the article goes on to quote his comments referring specifically to Fridays.
We’ve contacted the Conservatives and Labour party, as well as the two newspapers mentioned, for comment, and will update this live blog if we receive a response.