Keir Starmer is the leader of the Labour Party and the leader of the opposition in the UK. He has been a member of parliament for Holborn and St Pancras since 2015. He was previously a lawyer and the director of public prosecutions from 2008 to 2013.

Starmer was born in London in 1962 and grew up in Surrey. He studied law at the University of Leeds and Oxford, and became a barrister in 1987. He specialised in criminal defence and human rights cases, and was appointed as a Queen’s Counsel in 2002. He was involved in several high-profile cases, such as defending environmental activists, challenging the death penalty in other countries, and prosecuting terrorists and war criminals.

In 2008, he became the head of the Crown Prosecution Service, the agency responsible for prosecuting criminal cases in England and Wales. He oversaw several reforms and initiatives, such as introducing guidelines on prosecuting domestic violence, hate crimes, and assisted suicide. He also faced criticism for some controversial decisions, such as not prosecuting police officers involved in the death of Ian Tomlinson, or journalists involved in phone hacking.

Starmer entered politics in 2015, when he was elected as an MP for Labour. He became a shadow minister for immigration under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, but resigned in 2016 over Corbyn’s handling of the EU referendum. He later returned to the shadow cabinet as the shadow secretary of state for exiting the European Union, where he advocated for a second referendum on Brexit.

After Labour’s defeat in the 2019 general election, Starmer ran for the party leadership and won with 56% of the vote. He promised to unite the party, rebuild trust with voters, and offer a credible alternative to the Conservative government. He also pledged to uphold Labour’s values of social justice, equality, and human rights.

Since becoming leader, Starmer has faced several challenges and opportunities. He has had to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected his ability to campaign and connect with voters. He has also had to navigate the internal divisions within his party over issues such as Brexit, anti-Semitism, and economic policy. He has tried to present himself as a competent and responsible leader, who can hold the government to account and offer a vision for the future.

However, he has also faced criticism from some quarters for being too cautious, centrist, or vague. Some have accused him of lacking charisma, passion, or clear policies. Others have questioned his commitment to Labour’s radical agenda or his ability to appeal to working-class voters.

According to recent opinion polls, Starmer has a significant lead over the Conservatives and their new leader Rishi Sunak, who replaced Liz Truss after her resignation amid a scandal over her mini-budget. Starmer’s approval rating is also higher than Sunak’s. If a general election were held today, Labour would likely win a majority of seats in parliament1.

However, polls are not always reliable or predictive of election outcomes. There are many factors that can influence voters’ preferences and behaviour, such as media coverage, campaign strategies, local issues, or unexpected events. The next general election is not due until 2024, which gives both parties plenty of time to change their fortunes.

Therefore, it is not possible to say with certainty whether Starmer can become the next prime minister or not. He has some advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats. He will have to overcome many challenges and seize many chances to convince voters that he is the best person for the job.