Keir Starmer, fresh from handing over the keys to Number 10 to Andy Burnham, headed straight to one of his favourite local boozers for a pint with aides. The now former prime minister had resigned four weeks ago under relentless pressure from within the Labour Party, after Burnham won the Markerfield by-election to become an MP. Rather than cling on, Starmer filed his resignation and began the process of leaving office. The image of him drinking a cask ale in the sunshine sparked a mixed reaction. GB News presenter Ben Leo posted: 'Kicked out of government and then off to the pub for a laugh and a giggle. All while the country remains crippled. Glad to see they’re having a good time.' Others were more sympathetic, with the journalist who broke the story tweeting 'Fair Play'.
But the pint may be just the start of a lucrative new chapter. All former prime ministers receive a Public Duty Cost Allowance of up to £115,000 a year for life, covering office and secretarial costs, according to the Institute for Government. Ministers also get a severance payment of 25% of their annual salary — thought to be around £170,000 for Starmer. Yet the real money lies elsewhere: speaking fees, book deals and advisory roles have made Tony Blair worth £60 million and earned Boris Johnson almost £5 million by 2023.
“Keir Starmer pictured with pint after resigning as PM, while experts say he could earn up to £10m over next decade.”
Experts say Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, is unlikely to follow that path. Sonia Purnell, author of Boris Johnson's biography, told the Mirror: 'One of the questions is, do you just want to make money or do you want to serve your country in some way? … From what we know of his character, I sense he would love to go on serving his country.' PR expert Mark Borkowski predicted a different kind of wealth: 'Over the next decade, it's plausible he could earn between £2 million and £10 million.' He added: 'He was quite a major force on the international stage. As an adviser, as someone working in…' The full scope of Starmer's post-Downing Street life remains uncertain, but for now, the pint seems to have tasted as good as any.
