Keir Starmer: The British PM who got India-UK FTA over the line

KEir Starmer, the human rights barrister elected Britain's ground government minister with a landslip triumph in July 2024, had sworn to get the much-anticipated Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India over the line.Just days before announcing his resignation at the steps of 10 Downing Street in London on Monday morning, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, where both leaders set July 15 as the date for the FTA to come into force.Also Read | 'Heard the answer': Keir Starmer announces resignation as UK PM in tearful goodbyeNow, around the same time as the implementation of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – expected to significantly boost the 48 billion pounds bilateral trading relationship – the UK is expected to have a new leader in his place."It's not just a piece of paper, it's a launchpad for growth. With India set to be the third biggest economy in the world by 2028, and trade with them about to become quicker and cheaper, the opportunities waiting to be seized are unparalleled," Starmer said, during his visit to Mumbai last October.The 63-year-old MP for Holborn and St Pancras in London was credited with achieving an impressive reversal of fortunes for Labour after the party's crushing election defeat in December 2019.The other turnaround he worked hard on rebuilding was his party's connection with British Indians, alienated under former leader Jeremy Corbyn over a perceived anti-India stance on Kashmir.As Prime Minister, his approach towards India was reflected in Labour's 2024 election manifesto, which committed to seeking a "new strategic partnership with India, including a free trade agreement, as well as deepening cooperation in areas like security, education, technology and climate change"."I have a clear message for you all today: this is a changed Labour Party," he declared just before the general election.During a visit to the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Kingsbury, north London, on the campaign trail, he sought to reassure British Hindus that there is "absolutely no place for Hinduphobia in Britain". It is a message he has been reiterating over the past few years, including during celebrations of Diwali at 10 Downing Street.Sir Keir, who was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II for his services to law and criminal justice, spent much of his career in the legal profession before stepping into the world of politics, first elected as Labour's member of Parliament from London in 2015.He is the father of two teenage kids kept out of the political spotlight by him and his National Health Service (NHS) employee wife, Victoria.Born in London to a toolmaker father and an NHS nurse mother, Starmer grew up in the town of Oxted in Surrey. He has spoken emotionally about his mother, Josephine, suffering from the debilitating condition of Still's disease, which she succumbed to a few weeks before he first became an MP in 2015.He believes he has inherited the grit and determination of his mother and the strong work ethic of his father, Rodney, whose manual labour drives much of Starmer's vision to ensure respect for those who work hard.In the televised general election debates, Starmer often played second fiddle to the natural debating charm of Rishi Sunak, his Tory predecessor, and was often branded as being quite dull.But just like Sunak, he also has a University of Oxford background, where he studied law and rose up the ranks to be appointed the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) under a Labour-led government.He drew upon this experience as the chief prosecutor of the country in debates in the House of Commons and go head-to-head with sharp quips during weekly Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs).As a new MP in 2016, the staunch anti-Brexiteer assumed the key role of shadow Brexit secretary under then leader Jeremy Corbyn and supported the latter to fight for what he says was the "future of the Labour Party".Following the debacle of the 2019 general election, he stepped up as party leader and has sought to distance himself from the past party line to stress that Labour under his leadership now has a fully costed manifesto that focuses on the key public concerns of housebuilding, growing the economy and fixing the NHS.After an initial phase of success and setting the economic course for the country towards some stability, some of his misjudgments and policy U-turns have ultimately cost him the top job in the British government.Also Read | Why did Keir Starmer resign as UK Prime Minister? 5 points on his exitA week in politics is said to be a long time, and even until last week, Starmer was vehement that he plans to contest any leadership challenge that is thrown his way."The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace," a visibly emotional Starmer declared in his resignation speech.