Inside Keir’s boozy send-off with karaoke, custom tops and crying aides | Politics | News

Sir Keir Starmer had a drunken celebration with Downing Street staff after his last day as Prime Minister, it has been revealed. Last night (July 20) Starmer was joined by his wife Vic and children at a bar in north London.

After leaving Downing Street to make way for Andy Burnham, he hit the pub in Kentish Town with stalwarts such as Rachel Reeves. Participants reportedly included Darren Jones, Jo Stevens and Richard Hermer.

Starmer was also accompanied by No 10 officials and staff as they drank wine and partied the night away. They can be seen revamping X (formerly Twitter) to follow updates on Andy Burnham’s new cabinet.

The walls of the bar are reportedly covered with behind-the-scenes photos of Starmer’s two-year tenure as Prime Minister. Aides were seen wearing custom-made T-shirts emblazoned with the former Prime Minister’s face, as well as the slogan ‘Starmer Solid’, his ally’s nickname.

A woman was seen wearing a T-shirt reading ‘Glitter with Starmer’ alongside Downing Street’s former press aide George Mason.

At the end of the evening, the former Prime Minister left to cheers while holding his wife’s hand and holding a bouquet of flowers above her head, The Sun reported.

His loyal staff headed to the bar’s karaoke room. Someone there told me Sun: “It was a weird mix of anger and sadness.

“I think everyone was stunned by how massive and brutal the purge was.” Another said: “This is a massacre by the Manchester Mafia. They now run Number 10.”

This pub celebration came after Starmer gave his final speech as Prime Minister, saying it had been the “privilege of his life” and that he left “with good grace and a smile”.