Sir Keir Starmer's wife Victoria embraces her father as she enters Downing Street

By Shannon Mcguigan 20:38 05 Jul 2024, updated 01:49 06 Jul 2024

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Sir Keir Starmer's wife 'Lady Vic' gave her father a warm embrace as she stepped into her new life in the limelight and entered through the doors of No 10.

Bernard Alexander, who comes from a Polish-Jewish background briefly stood upright with the help of a walking aid, as his daughter gave him a tight and loving squeeze.

Previously an economics lecturer and accountant, Mr Alexander moved to the UK from Poland before the Second World War broke out across Europe 

Having raised Lady Victoria Starmer alongside late mother who also converted to the faith, his 'streetwise' daughter is set to bring Shabbat to Downing Street.

The Prime Minister has faced backlash for suggesting he would be off the clock by 6pm on Fridays for the religious celebration - despite being an atheist himself - a criticism he implied had anti-semitic tones. 

'I would have thought to anybody it's blindingly obvious that a Friday night is quite important in some religions and faiths,' he told the Jewish Chronicle.

Labour MP Wes Streeting has also come to Starmer's defence in a bid to protect his Friday evenings in a bid to honour his wife's religious background.

In an interview with Chris Evans on Virgin Radio on Monday, he said: 'Keir isn't clocking off on Fridays, he doesn't put off Fridays.

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'He does try to protect Friday evenings for his kids for two reasons. One he's a great dad.

'And secondly, his wife's family do have Jewish heritage and they try to keep Fridays special in keeping with their families culture, faith and practice.'

The publicly doting couple have also been keen to raise their two teenagers in a Liberal Jewish Synagogue in North London so they can 'recognize the faith of part of their grandfather's family'.

The youngsters are said to be 'completely freaked out' by the idea of being known for the first time following their father's landslide win.

But Mrs Starmer on the other hand as confessed she is 'quite unbothered' by her husband's political antics and refused to be the wife-on-the-campaign-trail this election cycle.

Despite her husband's new title as Prime Minister of the UK. the NHS occupational therapist will continue to focus on her role, her family and above all else raising their two teenagers.

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'She's a streetwise grounded, brilliant, gorgeous woman who wants as far as she can to get on with her own life and to protect it', Mr Starmer said recently.

'She loves working for the NHS. She loves the team that she's working with. And she and I are doing our best to raise two happy and confident children and that matters hugely to us.'

Mrs Starmer has been described as Britain's 'reluctant First Lady'.

And although the pair looked very much in love on the steps of Downing Street - this has not always been the case. 

According to Starmer, at least.

Sir Keir admits that his wife is so 'sassy' that the first thing she said after speaking with him for the first time was: 'Who the f*** does he think he is?'

A young Mr Starmer, then a barrister, had made the fatal error of incorrectly questioning his future wife's work as a solicitor - and found himself on the end of her sharp tongue.

But undeterred he asked her out for a drink to the Lord Stanely pub in Camden in 2000 anyway, and the rest is history with the pair trying the knot in 2007. 

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Yesterday they moved into the flat above No 10 Downing Street - and Mr Starmer will keep his promise of getting a dog for their two teenage children after his party's landslide election victory.

Sir Keir Starmer's intensely private wife stepped out of the shadows and into the as they celebrated Labour's historic election win with a passionate kiss.

Just hours before she started a new life in Downing Street, Lady Victoria closed her eyes and enjoyed a clinch with Sir Keir after his speech at a victory rally in central London.

The public display of affection was a rare step for Mrs Starmer.

But the 'reluctant First Lady' can avoid the limelight no longer, and yesterday Lady Victoria Starmer entered No 10 with her husband after hugging well-wishers in the world's most famous street after Labour's landslide victory and crushing of the Tories.

Read More: 

• After Labour landslide, what happens next? 
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• Who is Keir Starmer's wife Victoria?
• What now for Rishi Sunak?
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Those close to the Labour leader say his 'no-nonsense' and 'sassy' wife has no qualms about 'telling people about the real Keir'.

Even if he has not found it easy himself after their initial fiery introduction.

Fast forward 24 years later, the pair now share a £1.75million Kentish Town home with their two children - a teenager named Toby and a younger daughter whose name has not been made public.