Q&A with Sir Keir Starmer: Favourite band, keeping fit, his signature dish and more

L-R: Trevor Birch (Chairman of Swansea City Football Club), Carolyn Harris MP, Sir Keir Starmer and Rod Lloyd (MD of Low Cost Vans)

Labour leadership hopeful Sir Keir Starmer popped in to Low Cost Vans during a visit to Wales, where he had time to answer our tricky - and non-political - questions. MARK REES reports.

How do you keep your body and mind fit?

The body? Football. I play football every week on Sunday for 90 minutes with a group of fellas who aren’t particularly interested in politics. I used to play twice a week since I was 10. That’s the body, the mind? Talking to my children, who challenge me left right and centre. Every time I get home my nine-year-old says ‘have you been to parliament daddy?’ If I say yes, she says ‘more blah blah blah.’ She’s got her head around the job!

How important is music in your life, and who is your favourite band / artist?

Music is really important. Edwyn Collins, who used to front up Orange Juice, is an all-time favourite of mine. But my kids seem to prefer Stormzy!

Do you speak any other languages, and do you know any words in Welsh?

I wouldn’t say speak, but I know French, and I did study a little German. Enough to be able to get basics in France. (In answer to the Welsh part of the question, Keir says ‘bore da’ which means good morning).

Rod Lloyd welcomes Sir Keir Starmer to Low Cost Vans.

What was your first job?

My first job ever was actually in a factory alongside my dad. I decided to take a year between school and university in which I was going to travel, which I did, and then ran out of money. So I came and worked in the factory with my dad before I went to university. My job was on the tapping machine.
 
 Are you a dog person or a cat person?

When I was growing up we had four kids and four dogs. Now we have a cat called Jojo, who is much loved by the family and catches all the mice. If we don’t have a cat in London then the mice come and dance in the living room. The cat sorts that out. Jojo is a very distinguished member of the family.

Are you a good cook, and what is your signature dish?

Whether I’m a good cook should be judged by those who have to eat it I suppose! I really like cooking, genuinely, I find it quite relaxing. Every time I cook I think I’ll do something elaborate or different, but the kids say they want pasta with tomato sauce please, and that nearly always wins.

Sir Keir Starmer and Rod Lloyd

If you had time to do volunteer work, what would you like to do?

I did six months of voluntary work for children with debilitating conditions. This was holidays for them down in a centre in Cornwall, so I might go back there and do that again. They came for a week at a time, and we took them out. I was there as a volunteer for a few months, but the permanent staff were amazing.

Tell me something about yourself that nobody else knows?

I was at school with Fatboy Slim. We even had some violin lessons together, and I’m sure in those lessons I was humming a few tunes which I later heard him singing and claimed was his own! I must ask him about it.

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