Is Keir Starmer the real Mark Darcy? New Prime Minister parallels 'Bridget Jones's love interest' - and he's not denied the claims

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The new Prime Minister may have been the inspiration for Mark Darcy thanks to his work as a human rights leader and dashing good looks in his youth.

Sir Keir Starmer, 61,  was a human rights lawyer, working on a series of high profile cases in the 90s at the time of Helen Fielding's columns in The Independent, which spawned the Bridget Jones's Diary series.  

Rumours Colin Firth's brooding character was based on the Labour leader have refused to go away since emerging in 2014, with the new PM himself saying he doesn't know if they are true or not.  

The writer may have met the politician when she lived in Leeds, while Keir read law at the city's university, or as his career blossomed while she was a journalist.

Sir Keir Starmer , 61, was a human rights lawyer, working on a series of high profile cases in the 90s at the time of Helen Fielding's columns in The Independent, which spawned the Bridget Jones's Diary series 

Claims: Bridget Jones's love interest Mr Darcy is rumoured to have been based on new Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer

 While Sir Keir- previously suggested he was flattered by the claims, he insisted no one will ever know the truth - except for the writer herself. 

 Speaking to ITV News, he said: 'Everybody asks me this question when they should be asking her the question because she knows the answer and I don't.

'It's a rumour that's been doing the rounds for some years but I honestly don't know the answer to it.'

When quizzed whether he'd be flattered if it was true, Sir Keir replied: 'Of course I would, but I honestly don't know the answer.'

It has also been rumoured that Colin Firth styled his performance on the father of two, with neither the actor, Fielding or Sir Keir publicly denying the claim.

When quizzed whether he'd be flattered if it was true, Sir Keir replied: 'Of course I would, but I honestly don't know the answer 

The pairs' career paths even show similarities, as they both rose to prominence taking on pro-bono cases and as defence lawyers.

The pair also both went to Oxford University, even though they were in different years. 

Social media users seemed split over the rumour the politician could have been the real Mr Darcy.

One wrote: 'I really really want it to be true that Mark Darcy is based on Keir Starmer. Really really.'

Another put: 'I was today years old when I found out that Keir Starmer was the influence for Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones' Diary.'

It comes as the new Prime Minster jetted off to Washington DC for the NATO summit with wife Victoria

And one person added: 'Finding out Keir Starmer was the inspo for Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones Diary has fully blown my mind.'

But one man wrote: 'I had a moment of utter despair yesterday when I heard the rumour that Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones's Diary is based on Keir Starmer.'

Despite years of the talking around the rumour - Helen Fielding may have hinted it's not true in a 2020 interview.

'They are very similar, though,' she told the Radio Times Christmas issue. 'He's so good and decent and intelligent, but so buttoned up.

'I always want to say, 'Come on, Keir, loosen your tie, ruffle up your hair. He doesn't think of himself as sexy, but he's really sexy.'

The writer also likened Sir Keir's exchanges Boris Johnson in the Commons with the rows between Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver.

She added: 'And when he and Boris spar, it does remind me of Mark and Daniel.'

The pairs' career paths even show similarities, as they both rose to prominence taking on pro-bono cases and as defence lawyers. The pair also both went to Oxford University, even though they were in different years. 

Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth are pictured in Bridget Jones 

It comes as the new Prime Minster jetted off to Washington DC for the NATO summit. 

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Defence Secretary John Healey have accompanied the PM aboard 'Keir Force One' for the trip and were seen taking off from Stansted Airport on Tuesday afternoon.

Sir Keir said before he departed for Washington: 'My message is very, very clear.

'This Nato summit is an opportunity for allies to stand together, to strengthen their resolve, particularly in light of that appalling attack, against Russian aggression.

The three-day summit will begin on Tuesday evening and marks the 75th anniversary of the organization.

It will continue through meetings and a dinner with world leaders on Wednesday and accumulate in a press conference on Thursday.

The gathering of the leaders from the 32 NATO countries — plus Pacific partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, as well as Ukraine — is expected to be one of US president Joe Biden's last appearances at an international forum before Election Day.

Biden is expected to have bilateral meetings with Sir Keir and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the course of the summit.