Keir Starmer "not naming my children"

[Misthios]

Respect his stance not to allow pictures of his kids, fair enough, that is the decision he and his wife have made.

But the whole "i'm not publicly naming them" - you'd think as a former lawyer he'd know birth records are public record and anyone can find out in 30 seconds? So not the big secret he thinks it is?

That. And I applaud him for it.

This. It really is of no interest to me, anyway.

I think that was just a sky news report he said something like - oh I've got a boy of 15 and.. a boy of 13, which his PR said later was just a slip of the tongue - I'd have thought it was just a slip, it would be a funny way to announce having a trans child.

He’s not trying to keep it secret. He’s just not naming them. If you care; you can find out fairly easily for free, but the vast majority of people will not. Once he names them, it becomes the next Sun Facebook post or whatever and everyone will know whether they want to or not.

Oh, ffs, allow the family some privacy! He's a clever bloke, he knows you can look it up OP - go for it, if it interests you that much.
He's just trying to protect the children as much as possible. Good.

Of course it's possible to find out their names if you really try but it's a clear statement that their lives are private and rightly so. I remember Tony Blairs teens being written about.

Posts like this demonstrate exactly why it's a good idea to keep his children out of the public eye

Me too. What a refreshing attitude. So different to the current trend where you know what everyone has for bloody breakfast.

Exactly.

This, 💯

The same way any parent does. They choose a school based on whether it is the right place for their child.

He doesn't think it is a 'big secret'. He thinks it is none of our business and wants them to have as normal as life as possible. He is making it clear he won't play Press games with his children - unlike many PMs and public figures. The Press know their names, where they go to school and have photos of them . Will the Daily Mail publish them? If they do- he will not have collaborated in that and 'sold them off' for PR as is the 'celebrity' game- they will have gone entirely against his very explicit wishes. We'll see what happens- I think people support his choice.

Exactly this, @LuluBlakey1 .

I have not been impressed with Keir Starmer, however on this I think he is totally right.

you'd think as a former lawyer he'd know birth records are public record and anyone can find out in 30 seconds? So not the big secret he thinks it is?

Gosh, a parent decides out of principle they don't want to name their children, and your first thought is they must be unaware the public can find out anyway?

I'm not sure you've really thought about this at all OP.

The moment he gives anything away about them, the gutter press will see it as him having given 'permission' for them to be talked about in the media.

It's an all or nothing issue, and he's wisely gone for the nothing option.

I remember some very lurid speculation and nasty comments about Kathryn Blair when she was in her teens. Starmer is right to want to protect his kids from that.

Guess anyone who does look the names up and publishes them , will end before the courts for putting them as risk. Surely they have police protection with Keir as PM

I also think it is fair play that he and his wife are taking a different approach to someone like Blair, who regualrly wheeled out the kids for photo ops. In recent years PMs have been less willing to use kids in this way. Carrie Johnson did post pictures of her kids without their faces visible, I don't remember ever seeing pictures of the Sunak children. This is also probably a security thing, we all know how many crazies there are out there and with the attacks on MPs and threats to them and their families it must be a real worry.

Everyone who is at school with the Starmer children will know exactly who they are.

you'd think as a former lawyer he'd know birth records are public record

Are you saying you think he doesn't know that?

How? Looking up publicly available information isn't breaking any laws.

As a PP said it's a gentleman's agreement between the PM and the press.

I don't disagree with keeping children of politicians out of the public eye, but how does that square with doing a photoshoot with them in OK magazine??

Don't say this often about Keir starmer, but good for him. Weird that you're posting about it.

non-selective state school round the corner from me