Starmer Adds Biography of Himself to Downing Street Library

Sir Keir Starmer has added a rather personal contribution to the historic Downing Street library — a biography about himself.

Keir Starmer: The Biography, written by journalist and former Labour adviser Tom Baldwin, has become the latest addition to the collection of more than 400 books held at Downing Street.

The book was donated by the Prime Minister himself and now sits alongside works covering politics, history, philosophy, religion, literature and the personal interests of generations of British prime ministers and ministers.

A Downing Street tradition dating back almost a century

The Downing Street library was established in 1931 by Ramsay MacDonald, Britain's first Labour prime minister.

MacDonald invited serving and former ministers to donate books that were personally meaningful or politically significant to them. The tradition has continued, although enthusiasm for maintaining the collection has varied between governments.

Some of the books are displayed in two bookcases in the Cabinet Room, while others are kept in storage within Downing Street.

Starmer is not the first prime minister to contribute one of his own books.

Winston Churchill donated The World Crisis, while Clement Attlee contributed Purpose and Policy, a collection of his speeches. Margaret Thatcher added her memoir The Downing Street Years.

More recently, Boris Johnson donated The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History.

So while Starmer's decision might attract attention, there is a long-established precedent for politicians placing their own work on the Downing Street shelves.

Ministers have also been adding to the collection

Seven ministers who served in Starmer's government have also contributed books.

Former Chancellor Rachel Reeves donated Alice in Westminster: The Political Life of Alice Bacon, while Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy contributed All In: How We Build a Country That Works.

Former Wales Secretary Jo Stevens chose a particularly Welsh contribution: The Fed: A History of the South Wales Miners in the Twentieth Century, written by Hywel Francis and David Smith.

Other recent contributions include a biography of Harold Wilson, Pope Francis's Laudato Si', a book by former Labour deputy leader Roy Hattersley and Instruction to Deliver, which examines the experience of working in government during the Tony Blair era.

What does Starmer actually like to read?

The choice of his own biography is particularly interesting given Starmer's previous comments about reading.

In an interview in 2024, the then Labour leader struggled to identify a favourite novel.

When he appeared on Desert Island Discs, he selected an atlas as the book he would take with him.

That contrasts with some other politicians who have been considerably more vocal about their literary interests.

His successor, Andy Burnham, for example, studied English Literature and has spoken about his enthusiasm for poetry, particularly the works of Tony Harrison and Philip Larkin.

A library full of political history — and some surprises

The Downing Street collection contains plenty of serious political and historical works, including books on constitutional law, philosophy, religion and British political history.

But the shelves also reveal the personal interests of those who have contributed to them.

Former prime minister Ted Heath donated books reflecting his interests in music and sailing, while Harold Macmillan contributed a collection of Rudyard Kipling's works.

There are also books covering subjects as varied as birds, sailing and French wine.

Even Jeremy Clarkson and Sir David Attenborough are represented among the authors whose books have found their way into the collection.

One of the more unusual contributions came from Conservative minister Iain MacLeod, who donated his own book Bridge Is an Easy Game, reportedly inscribing it with the words: "Perhaps this is the only book in this library which will bring true profit to its readers."

From Ramsay MacDonald to Keir Starmer

The library's history reflects the changing personalities and interests of Britain's political leaders.

When MacDonald established the collection in 1931, he wanted ministers to contribute books that said something about them or their political lives.

Nearly a century later, Starmer's contribution continues that tradition — although donating a biography of yourself inevitably makes for a rather more noticeable entry.

Whether Keir Starmer: The Biography becomes one of the most frequently consulted books in Downing Street remains to be seen.

But for future historians looking through the collection, the book will provide an interesting snapshot of how the current prime minister and his government chose to represent themselves within one of Britain's most politically significant libraries.