I won’t work after 6pm as PM to protect time with my kids, says Sir Keir Starmer but he’s blasted as ‘Sir Sleepy’ again
Sir Keir Starmer has been branded “Sir Sleepy” after saying he won’t work “24/7” as Prime Minister – even knocking off at 6pm on a Friday.
The dad-of-two insisted he would continue to have “protected time for the kids” at the end of the week.
The Labour leader said that he will “not do a work-related thing after 6pm pretty well come what may” which will continue on reaching Downing Street.
Speaking to Virgin Radio, he said: “I don’t believe in the theory that you’re a better decision maker if you don’t allow yourself the space to be a dad and have fun for your kids,
“Actually, it helps me. It takes me away from the pressure, it relaxes me and I think actually, not only is that what I want to do as a dad, it is better.”
Sir Keir told breakfast host Chris Evans: “Politics, some people think if you fill your diary 24/7 and don’t do anything else, that makes you a much better decision maker. I don’t agree with that. I think you’ve got to make space.”
But Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is known for a punishing work schedule, slammed the decision to finish early whatever the circumstances.
He said: “I haven’t seen the comments but what I would say is – what time is it now? – I haven’t finished at 6pm ever.
“We would only have a couple of hours left in the day at this point, which is not great.”
A Tory source: “Whether he likes it or not, if he became PM Sir Sleepy would be required to work after 6pm.
“If he thinks he can just put his slippers on and make a mug of Horlicks while he tunes into The One Show, then he is in for a shock.”
Meanwhile, Sir Keir insisted the final days until the polls open were the “hardest yards” as he embarked on a whistle-stop tour or target seats.
The Labour chief is using the final two days of the campaign to get out the vote claiming some constituencies will go “down to the wire”.
He visited three traditional Tory strongholds today in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire surrounded by scores of supporters.
Sir Keir said: “This is the final mile, these are the last hard yards, but the last steps are always the hardest.”
He added that “change can only happen if you vote for it” before saying “people need convincing, there are undecideds out there”.
The Labour leader insisted there were no areas the party will stay away from as Rishi Sunak warns of the party winning a “supermajority”.
On his visit to the Buckingham and Bletchley seat, he said: “There are no ‘no-go’ areas.
“I want to come to places like this, places that we wouldn’t normally win because, one, I think it’s important we see the task of earning every vote as one that is across the whole of the country.”