Politics
Sir Keir Starmer grilled by Jewish pupils on Labour’s election chances
The Labour leader spoke to children at the Independent Jewish Day School in the run up to Rosh Hashanah
September 10, 2023 12:15
The Labour leader spoke to children at the Independent Jewish Day School in the run up to Rosh Hashanah
September 10, 2023 12:15Sir Keir Starmer has told Jewish school children that he is confident he will improve Labour’s support within the community at the next general election.
Visiting the Independent Jewish Day School in the run up to Rosh Hashanah, the Labour leader discussed his own family’s experience of the festival with Year Six pupils.
Sir Keir said: "As Rosh Hashanah approaches, I know you will all be preparing for a period of celebration with your friends, family and loved ones.
“My wife’s Jewish roots mean our family are well versed in Rosh Hashanah traditions, so it’s a pleasure to talk to you about what that means to you and your families.
“Like me, you’ll be doing some reflecting on the year past and the year ahead. I want to encourage all of you to be bold with your ambitions because as many of you will start secondary school next year, you have a fantastic opportunity to take the first steps towards your future career."
Sir Keir’s wife, solicitor Lady Victoria Starmer, is of Polish Jewish descent, and the family are members of London’s Liberal Jewish Synagogue.
Speaking to the JC in 2021, Sir Keir said: “On her father’s side, there are bar mitzvahs, synagogues - there’s all the traditions.”
Asked by Independent Jewish Day School pupils whether his party would win more of the Jewish vote, Sir Keir said: "It's important to say the Labour Party has changed.
“We didn't get enough votes in 2019 because we didn't deserve to get any more votes than we got, so we changed the Party to make sure it's inclusive, and representative and a champion of all communities, particularly Jewish communities.
“We've got the chance next year to change that around, and I'm confident we can improve on what happened in 2019."
Talking to the children about their future career plans, Sir Keir emphasised the importance of self-belief.
He said: “Keep hold of those dreams, don't let anybody tell you you can't do it.
“I’m passionate about breaking down the barriers to opportunity for young people like you. I believe that no matter where you might be from, you should be able to get on if you work hard. That's why I've made it one of my key missions in government."
Writing on Twitter, the Labour leader added that he had been given a “grilling” by pupils on “everything from fixing our NHS to how PMQs works”.
He wrote: “The enthusiasm and potential of the next generation is inspiring. Labour will smash the class ceiling so their talent and ambition is matched with success.”