How does Kier Starmer do it?!

[sausageupanalley]

I am a similar age to him and am constantly knackered and am just utterly impressed by how the politicians such as Kier Starmer do it?!

Just looking at his last few days, on Weds/Thurs he flew to America and back for possibly one of the most important meetings there has been for the UK in a very long time. Then he flies back and meets Zelensky on Saturday which after what happened in the oval office was also an unbelievably diplomatically sensitive meeting. Then today he's just been on the Laura Kunsberg show and has left and is about to go and meet/host a meeting for European leaders!
He must be having to hold all sorts of other high level diplomatic discussions in between as well as keeping up to date on other briefings and then not to mention getting some sleep, if possible with all that going on and trying to see his family too. I have so much respect for it as it must be unbelievably stressful and tiring. I know your legacy would be part of history but they don't get paid that much, just wondering how on earth they do it!

I always wonder things like that. No idea. Also the massive amounts of behind the scenes prep and reading to do. When do they sleep? get ill? Spend time with their kids?

I thought that as well about the awful footage of Zelensky being turned on by Trump and Vance in the Oval Office, disgusting bullying and completely undemocratic behaviour. How on earth Zelensky didn’t just burst into tears I have no idea. I would have.

Imagine having a war waged on you for three years and your people kids and families being killed, and then those two not letting you speak while they accuse you of inviting WW3?

Yes definitely, what Zelensky is going through is on a whole other scale

I’m not hugely impressed by starmer but I do agree. He must be knackered. And I know Zelenskyy is in an infinitely worse place but the pressure on starmer right now is pretty immense.
I
feel for his wife and kids. He must barely see them.

I found it unexpectedly moving when he greeted Zelensky with a bear hug yesterday. I'm not an uncritical admirer of Starmer, but I do think he's doing a reasonable job of plotting a best fit line through the current diplomatic clusterfuck.

Zelensky offered to resign if it meant peace for his country. Can you imagine those two clowns offering to do that? I hope he doesn't because Trump and Putin will install a puppet in his place and carve up Ukraines resources between them. Ukraine doesn't only have minerals. It's the breadbasket of Europe. Can you imagine the damage they could do between them?

I like that he and his wife have been able to maintain anonymity of their children too. It's his job, not his whole world. And previous PMs (not the women, just the men) always seem to use the "family man" image to curry favour with the public which he isn't doing, by choice.

DS and DH were sitting near him and his son at Arsenal a couple of times recently, too.

Yes, I've always been a Labour supporter though not a huge fan of his, but his calm steady hand is what we need at the moment and I am glad to see that he seems to be getting the respect he deserves from many directions at the moment.

I’ve been wondering that, about both Starmer and Zelensky. I don’t know what motivates them to do it. Travelling even on holiday is exhausting.

I’ve never been a big fan of him (in fact, I’ve never actually given him any head time). But he does seem to be doing as well as any politician can in the circumstances. I’m so glad it’s him there and not Boris

I dont know how they do it either. Id be collapsed in a heap by now, worrying if the kids are ok and my wife isnt run too ragged.

Because he doesn’t have to iron his suits, make his own cup of tea, take the garden waste to the tip, fix a broken window, drive in rush hour to take kids to activities, find something he has mislaid, call a plumber, sit listening on hold to his energy company for 25 minutes, change a nappy, go to ikea, drive himself home after a red eye flight from America………….

As @StepawayfromtheLindors says, he doesn’t have to do anything else. It’s the deal they make with their families - this job is going to be everything for the next x years. It’s why he ring fences Friday nights where he can. He must be bloody knackered though, I agree.

Starmer makes time for his family. Friday evenings, for example are sacrosanct.
He is a very capable man, he was a Human Rights Barrister for many years, he understands contracts, treaties and international relations. He is also very well read. He appears somewhat dull, which I rather like. It means he's not grandstanding. It's not about his status and ego.
I think sometimes people want a flashy leader or someone who provides soundbites. It's not a way to lead a nation.

This. He can - quite rightly - just focus on what he needs to do.
So after meeting Zelensky yesterday, he could spend time with his family, because all else was taken care of.

Exactly. Having a sensible adult in power after a period of populist idiocy is a bit like withdrawing from a narcotic. Things seem a bit colourless and lacking in drama. This is not a bad thing.

Since when only Starmer does this? It goes with the job. Politicians at that level are having to work like that. When they are campaigning and most of the time.

I don't think he's had a break either. Election campaigns are grueling and rather than the US you're straight in the job the next day. Politicians usually have a summer break but Starmer cancelled his due to the riots after Southport. Then at Christmas his brother died so he didn't get a holiday then.

He must be knackered.

Exactly.
He’s told where he has to be and he’s taken there. He doesn’t have to check AA route planner first, figure out what time to set off, and pack a bag.

He has zero mental load regarding domestic chores. He’ll have numerous PAs who manage his diary. All he has to do is wash, dress and feed himself - using toiletries bought by someone else, clothes washed and ironed by someone else, and food bought/prepared by someone else.

I’m not saying it’s an easy life because it certainly isn’t, but in terms of being busy, I don’t think it’s any harder than a basic working mum. Just take a moment and think of how much of your time is spent just running the home and keeping everyone warm/fed/dressed/safe/educated/happy. Now imagine all of that is done by someone else!

But that's true of all politicians and a lot if business owners where they simply can't just stop and have a rest. They need to be on top of physical form, mobile and ready to travel constantly and be mentally focused.
I don't think everyone would be able to perform at that level of pressure and constant active engagement. That's why these sort of individuals are where they are.
And, absolutely, I agree with the other comments. They must have an environment where they don't deal with the normal day to day stuff themselves.

I think this is why a stint as PM ages a person so much. Look at Blair from the beginning to the end of his time in office.

I'm guessing it's easier when you almost certainly have a full sized bed on the plane.

Look at prime ministers at the beginning of tenure and then afterwards. With , perhaps, the exception of John Major and Theresa May they look like husks of the people they were before they went into office .

They burn bright and high whilst in office then pay the price. You often see this in people when they retire , the minute they stop working the lights dim.

Imagine having that level of responsibility. You just don't know what's going to happen.

True. The Good Friday Agreement alone took it out of him. That was such a critical time.