Sir Keir Starmer reveals his history hero in an exclusive interview with BBC History Magazine
Thursday 8 June, 2023
The Labour Party Leader and MP for Holborn and St Pancras says he is inspired by the former First Lady Eleanor Rooseveltโs โinner driveโ and โkeen sense of social justiceโ.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Labour Party, reveals that Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady of the USA 1933โ45, is his History Hero in an interview in the July issue of BBC History Magazine, out today (Thursday 8 June).
In the interview, Sir Keir Starmer says he first heard about Eleanor Roosevelt while studying Law at Leeds University, when he became โcompletely absorbedโ by the work of the United Nations in the years after World War II.
Explaining the qualities that make Roosevelt his hero, Sir Keir Starmer lists her understanding of the power of international global co-operation, her compassion, and her civil rights activism.
โKeir Starmer is the latest in a series of prominent politicians weโve interviewed about their history heroes, and Iโm always fascinated to discover the people from the past that have inspired the leading figures of today. Previous examples include Betty Boothroyd nominating Clement Attlee, David Cameron choosing Douglas Bader, Jeremy Corbyn selecting Mary Wollstonecraft and Michael Howard exhorting Elizabeth I. ”
Rob Attar, Editor of BBC History Magazine
These interviews can be found on our HistoryExtra website.
Asked what question he would have for Eleanor Roosevelt if he met her, Sir Keir Starmer says: โHow she would ensure that the flames of human dignity and respect burnt as brightly today โ when for instance, we have seen Russian forces display such barbarism in Ukraine โ as they did in that intense period after WWII.โ
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