") no-repeat center center;background-size:10px 16px;content:' '}@media(min-width:768px){.gBkjJh::before{display:none}}@media(min-width:1000px){.iZwHvr .taboola{display:none}}.iZwHvr:has(#taboola-carousel-thumbnails){min-height:426px}.iZwHvr:has(#taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-crime){min-height:405px}@media(min-width:1000px){.iZwHvr:has(#taboola-carousel-thumbnails),.iZwHvr:has(#taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-crime){min-height:0}}.cwMTma{width:100%;box-sizing:border-box}@media(min-width:768px){.cwMTma{max-width:634px}}@media(min-width:1250px){.cwMTma{max-width:622px}}.friMnV{display:flex;width:auto;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-start;gap:4px;color:#ec1a2e}.jTCgmP{display:block;font:bold 14px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration-line:underline;margin-block:0;text-align:center}.ijwenW{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px}.ijwenW:hover .sc-aja53j-2,.ijwenW:hover .sc-a5wy94-0{color:#ac2a2c}.iFuNKC{font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.eNLq{display:flex;position:relative;overflow:hidden;width:auto;height:40px;flex-direction:column;order:-1;gap:8px;opacity:1;transition:all .5s ease-in-out;transition-behavior:allow-discrete}.eNLq::after{--fade-from:rgba(255,255,255,0);--fade-mid:rgba(255,255,255,0.5);--fade-to:#fff;position:absolute;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:1;width:100%;height:40px;background-image:linear-gradient(to bottom,var(--fade-from) 0,var(--fade-mid) 50%,var(--fade-to) 100%);content:'';opacity:1;transition:opacity 150ms ease-out}@media(min-width:768px){.dDDDDM{order:-1}}@media(min-width:768px){.jGWtsz{display:flex;position:relative;align-items:flex-start;margin-top:12px}}.jImJId .tp-container-inner,.jImJId .sc-1suqprf-0{position:relative;box-shadow:0 -22px 16px 22px rgba(255,255,255,0.95)}.jImJId.closed{display:none}.jNXFXZ{width:32px;color:#3b5998}@media(min-width:768px){.jNXFXZ.mobile-only{display:none}}.jNXFXZ:hover{color:#2f4779}.ksPZud{width:32px;color:#000}@media(min-width:768px){.ksPZud.mobile-only{display:none}}.ksPZud:hover{color:#4e4e4e}.SVrrg{width:32px;color:#25d366}@media(min-width:768px){.SVrrg.mobile-only{display:none}}.SVrrg:hover{color:#1da851}.pOgFh{width:32px;color:#ec1a2e}@media(min-width:768px){.pOgFh.mobile-only{display:none}}.pOgFh:hover{color:#ac2a2c}.dJrOFo{display:flex;gap:12px}.eZumoJ{position:fixed;top:0;left:0;z-index:2147483644;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);cursor:pointer;opacity:0;transition:opacity 300ms ease-in-out}.eZumoJ.overlay-background--open{width:100vw;height:100vh;opacity:1}.dRVLpc{--trans:300ms ease-in-out;position:fixed;top:0;left:0;z-index:2147483645;width:100vw;height:100vh;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transform:translateY(-24px);transform-origin:top center;transition:transform var(--trans),opacity var(--trans)}.dRVLpc.overlay--open{opacity:1;transform:translateY(0);transition-delay:150ms}.dRVLpc.overlay--open>:first-child{pointer-events:auto}.cWTSTp .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:none}.cWTSTp:hover .sc-17yxc4y-0,.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:block}.cWTSTp:hover .sc-17yxc4y-1,.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:none}.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:block}.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:none}.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved:hover .sc-17yxc4y-0{display:none}.cWTSTp.bookmark-button-saved:hover .sc-17yxc4y-1{display:block}.eoIBc{--margin-x:12px;--modal-width:calc(100% - (var(--margin-x) * 2));--modal-max-width:351px;--padding:60px 16px 42px;--line-height:1.25;display:flex;position:fixed;top:50%;left:50%;overflow:auto;width:var(--modal-width);max-width:var(--modal-max-width);max-height:100vh;box-sizing:border-box;flex-direction:column;align-items:center;justify-content:center;padding:var(--padding);background-color:#eaf2f2;box-shadow:0 1px 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);line-height:var(--line-height);transform:translate(-50%,-50%)}@media(min-width:768px){.eoIBc{--modal-width:600px;--modal-max-width:none;--padding:72px 80px 64px;--line-height:1.2}}@media(min-width:1000px){.eoIBc{--modal-width:635px}}.fNhASP{--close-button-margin:16px;position:absolute;top:var(--close-button-margin);right:var(--close-button-margin)}@media(min-width:768px){.fNhASP{--close-button-margin:24px}}.caBZHW{width:100%;max-width:437px;margin-bottom:20px}@media(min-width:768px){.caBZHW{margin-bottom:18px}}.dgWryu{position:absolute;overflow:hidden;width:.01em;height:.01em;padding:0;border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);white-space:nowrap}.eUOcMf{width:100%;margin:0}.dEYNzg{margin:0 0 30px;font:bold 26px/1.15 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif}@media(min-width:768px){.dEYNzg{font:bold 28px/1.15 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif}}.itdeLI{display:block;width:100%;padding:0;margin:0 0 30px;font:normal 16px/1.44 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.itdeLI{font:normal 20px/1.44 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}.funPAy{display:block;margin-top:30px;color:#222;font:normal 16px/normal 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.bXVQbr{padding:0}.GwNrt{display:inline-block;width:32px;height:32px;color:#337e81}.cJKiex{display:flex;flex-direction:row;justify-content:center;gap:12px}.eEPVRy{display:flex;position:relative;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.eEPVRy{justify-content:flex-end;padding-top:12px;margin:0}}.kdvWjb{display:flex}.sticky .kdvWjb{flex-direction:column}.bfkmcy{overflow:hidden;height:23px;margin-bottom:8px;border-bottom:0;clear:both}@media(min-width:768px){.bfkmcy{height:25px}}.fczuIa{display:inline-block;flex-shrink:0;margin:0 12px 0 0;font:bold 14px/normal 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.fczuIa::after{content:':'}.IOUwh{display:inline-block;margin-right:12px;margin-bottom:4px;color:#222;font:normal 14px/1.29 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration:underline}.IOUwh::first-letter {text-transform:capitalize}@media(min-width:1000px){.subscribed .bwpCMN{margin-top:-184px}.article-feature:not(.article-feature-video) .subscribed .bwpCMN{margin-top:-407px}}.bwpCMN>p{margin:16px 0}.article-premium .bwpCMN>p{line-height:27px}.bwpCMN>h2{font-size:21px}.article-climate .bwpCMN>h2{color:#ec1a2e}.article-sgi .bwpCMN>h2{color:#ec1a2e}.bwpCMN>p:first-child{margin-top:0}.bwpCMN span:first-child~p:first-of-type{margin-top:0}.hQjaQn{display:flex;position:relative;max-width:100%;min-height:600px;justify-content:center;margin:0 auto;background-color:transparent;clear:both}@media(min-width:1000px){.hQjaQn{min-height:450px}}.teads .hQjaQn{display:block}.hQjaQn [data-mpu]{position:sticky;top:16px}@media(min-width:1000px){.jZcooN{display:none}}.jZcooN[data-mpu1]{min-height:600px}.jZcooN.pb-20{padding-bottom:20px}.hlPMMm{margin:0 0 24px;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.euTVax{font:bold 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.jBfdop{overflow:hidden;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:16px}@media(min-width:768px){.jBfdop{max-width:634px}}@media(min-width:1250px){.jBfdop{max-width:622px}}.hKRbzg{width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;padding:8px 12px 12px;border-top:8px solid #ec1a2e;background-color:#fde8ea}@media(min-width:768px){.hKRbzg{padding-top:4px;padding-bottom:12px}}.cKIkhp{font:bold 22px/26px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;margin:0 0 12px;text-align:center}@media(min-width:768px){.cKIkhp{font:bold 30px/34px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.048px;margin-bottom:12px;text-align:left}}.feSJtK{display:block;margin-bottom:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.feSJtK{display:none}}.bErStG{display:flex;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px;background-color:#fde8ea;color:#ec1a2e}@media(min-width:768px){.bErStG{width:auto;justify-content:flex-start}}.vaVnf{display:block;font:bold 14px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;text-decoration-line:underline;margin-block:0;text-align:center}.jWuFRk{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:4px}.jWuFRk:hover .sc-hez36s-5,.jWuFRk:hover .sc-a5wy94-0{color:#ac2a2c}.hKrnEq{font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}.dWUzhG{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column}@media(min-width:768px){.dWUzhG{display:flow-root;gap:24px;transition:margin-bottom .3s ease-in-out}}.bDgIJb{display:flex;width:100%;flex-direction:column;align-items:center;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:768px){.bDgIJb{position:relative;z-index:1;width:212px;flex-shrink:0;justify-content:flex-start;margin-left:24px;float:right}}.EYumw{display:none;flex-direction:row;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px}@media(min-width:768px){.EYumw{display:flex;margin-top:12px}}.kCOwPr{display:flex;width:100%;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:12px}@media(min-width:768px){.kCOwPr{display:none}}@media(min-width:768px){.doTReP{order:-1}}.bwouQi .sc-aja53j-5::after{--fade-from:rgba(253,232,234,0);--fade-mid:rgba(253,232,234,0.5);--fade-to:#fde8ea}@media(min-width:360px){.bwouQi .sc-aja53j-5 .sc-aja53j-7{display:none}}.dxwzhm{display:flex;min-height:600px;justify-content:center}@media(min-width:1000px){.dxwzhm{min-height:450px}}.gHNATZ{min-height:600px}@media(min-width:1000px){.gHNATZ{min-height:450px}}.gHNATZ.mobile-only{display:block}@media(min-width:1000px){.gHNATZ.mobile-only{display:none}}.gHNATZ.desktop-only{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.gHNATZ.desktop-only{display:block;margin-bottom:16px}}.gHNATZ.desktop-only+p{margin-top:0}.gHNATZ .third-party-ad{position:sticky;top:16px}.bJycyU{width:100%;flex-grow:1}.bJycyU .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide]{display:block;overflow:hidden;max-height:360px}.bJycyU .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide] .social-share{display:none}.bJycyU .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide].show-all-content{max-height:100%}@media(max-width:594px){.bJycyU .amp-article-content[amp-access][amp-access-hide]{max-height:530px}}.bJycyU .amp-newsletter-reg-gate{position:relative;left:-12px;width:calc(100% + 24px)}.bJycyU .social-share{width:100%;padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:20px}@media(min-width:768px){.bJycyU .social-share{justify-content:flex-start}}.bJycyU .social-share.sticky{display:none}@media(min-width:1000px){.bJycyU .social-share.sticky{display:flex;position:sticky;top:14px;width:34px;flex-direction:column;padding-top:0;margin-top:0;margin-left:-25%}.bJycyU .social-share.sticky amp-social-share,.bJycyU .social-share.sticky .sc-mgcah7-0{margin:0 0 16px}.article-feature-video .bJycyU .social-share.sticky{margin-top:0}.article-feature:not(.article-feature-video) .bJycyU .social-share.sticky{margin-top:35%}}.bJycyU.sponsored-article img,.bJycyU.sponsored-article video{width:100%;max-width:602px;height:auto}.bJycyU.sponsored-article iframe{max-width:602px;max-height:400px}.bJycyU .under-article-prompt-donations{padding-bottom:8px;margin-top:-3px}.bJycyU .big-letter{--color:#222;display:flex;position:relative;width:0;height:0;align-items:center;justify-content:center;padding:40px;margin-top:22px;margin-right:12px;border:1px solid var(--color);float:left;font:normal 52px/1 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;text-transform:uppercase}.bJycyU .big-letter:first-child{margin-top:6px}.bJycyU .big-letter::before{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid var(--color);border-radius:50%;content:''}.bJycyU #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:2350px}@media(min-width:768px){.bJycyU #taboola-below-article-1{min-height:3370px}}.bJycyU #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:130px}@media(min-width:768px){.bJycyU #taboola-below-article-1-split-num-1{min-height:415px}}.bJycyU .sc-fwko30-0+.sc-1xtsh2b-0{margin-top:-16px}@media(min-width:768px){.bJycyU{max-width:636px;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.bJycyU{max-width:624px;margin:0}.bJycyU.subscribed{max-width:636px}}@media(max-width:999px){.bJycyU{padding-right:0}.bJycyU .under-article-prompt-donations{margin-top:-18px}}.bJycyU .anchor-nav-header{scroll-margin-top:79px}.bJycyU .anchor-nav-header a{color:#222}.bJycyU .anchor-nav-header a:hover{color:#222}.kvSKnI{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:8px;color:#646464;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.kvSKnI{width:70%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-start;margin-bottom:0;font:normal 16px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.kvSKnI{width:70%;margin-bottom:0}}.eXEVFg{display:flex;height:20px;margin:0 12px 8px 0}.article-voices .eXEVFg{height:auto}@media(min-width:425px){.article-voices .eXEVFg{height:20px}}.eXEVFg::before{display:inline-block;align-self:center;margin-top:1px;margin-right:12px;content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.eXEVFg:first-child::before{content:none}@media(min-width:768px){.eXEVFg{height:24px;margin-bottom:0}.eXEVFg::before{margin-top:2px}}.eXEVFg time{display:block}.eXEVFg time::first-letter {text-transform:capitalize}.eIoMWw{display:inline-block;margin:0 12px 8px 0;color:#ec1a2e;font:bold 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;letter-spacing:-0.5px}.eIoMWw:hover,.eIoMWw:active{color:#ac2a2c}@media(min-width:768px){.eIoMWw{margin-bottom:0}}.iNzGqA{margin:0 4px 8px 0}.iNzGqA::before{display:inline-block;margin-top:2px;margin-right:12px;color:#222;content:'\2022';transform:scale(1.5)}.iNzGqA:first-child::before{display:none}@media(min-width:768px){.iNzGqA{margin-bottom:0}}.dFlLus{display:flex;justify-content:flex-start;padding:0;margin:0 0 16px}@media(min-width:768px){.dFlLus{display:flex;width:30%;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end;margin:0}}@media(min-width:1000px){.dFlLus{width:30%}}.gjgca{padding-top:0;border-top:0;border-bottom:0}@media(min-width:768px){.gjgca{display:flex;flex-flow:row wrap;padding-bottom:16px}.gjgca .sc-1qz44j0-0{order:1}.gjgca .sc-1qz44j0-9{order:2}}@media(min-width:1000px){.gjgca{flex-direction:row}}.dlBKBu{padding:16px 12px 12px;text-align:left;font:bold 14px/18px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.dlBKBu{padding:16px 16px 12px}}.article-infact .dlBKBu{padding:16px 0}@media(min-width:1000px){.dlBKBu{padding:24px 0 19px}.article-feature .dlBKBu{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto}}.dlBKBu a{color:#222}.dlBKBu a:hover{color:#ac2a2c}.dlBKBu a:hover::after{color:#222}.dlBKBu a::after{margin-right:4px;margin-left:4px;content:'>'}.dlBKBu a:last-child::after{display:none}.azcVx{margin:0 0 20px;letter-spacing:0}.VFZbw{margin:0;color:#646464;font:normal 16px/20px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}@media(min-width:768px){.VFZbw{font:normal 18px/22px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}@media(min-width:1000px){.VFZbw{font:normal 20px/24px 'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif}}.VFZbw p{font:inherit}.article-feature .VFZbw a{font-weight:bold}.fKNoab{max-width:968px;margin:0 auto;background:#fff}@media(min-width:1000px){.fKNoab{padding:0 16px}.parallax .fKNoab{max-width:1240px}}.bJjAgi{font:bold 32px/36px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0156em}@media(min-width:768px){.bJjAgi{font:bold 44px/48px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0113em}}@media(min-width:1000px){.bJjAgi{font:bold 54px/58px 'Indy Serif','Indy Serif Fallback',serif;letter-spacing:-0.0092em}}.dufPYg .sc-qvufca-0{margin:0 12px}@media(min-width:768px){.dufPYg .sc-qvufca-0{max-width:968px;margin-right:16px;margin-left:16px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.dufPYg .sc-qvufca-0{margin-right:auto;margin-left:auto}}.dufPYg .sc-qvufca-2{margin-bottom:16px;color:#222}@media(min-width:768px){.dufPYg .sc-qvufca-2{margin-bottom:18px}}@media(min-width:1000px){.dufPYg .sc-qvufca-2{margin-top:0}}.article-feature .dufPYg .sc-qvufca-2{text-align:center}@media(min-width:1000px){.article-feature .dufPYg .sc-qvufca-2{max-width:968px}}.dufPYg .sc-aeekvc-0{margin-bottom:16px}@media(min-width:1000px){.dufPYg .sc-aeekvc-0{max-width:968px}}.dufPYg .sc-aeekvc-0 p{margin-top:0}@media(min-width:768px){.dufPYg .sc-aeekvc-0 p{margin-bottom:16px}}@media(min-width:2560px){.dufPYg .sc-aeekvc-0 p{margin-bottom:12px}}.dyGKzS{--bleed:12px;display:flex;box-sizing:border-box;flex-direction:row;gap:32px;padding:16px var(--bleed);background-color:#fff}.article-liveblog .dyGKzS{background-color:#f7f7f7}@media(min-width:768px){.dyGKzS{--bleed:0;max-width:1000px;margin:0 auto}}@media(min-width:1000px){.dyGKzS{--bleed:16px;max-width:1000px;padding:var(--bleed)}}.gIldS{overflow:hidden;height:0;color:transparent}.kFPmfF{max-width:100%;margin:0 0 20px}.kFPmfF.sticky{position:sticky;top:16px}.iaRZct{min-height:600px}.iaRZct #mpu1{position:sticky;top:16px}.bFiDnI{min-height:250px}.jAzEot{max-width:100%}.eDScvc{margin:0 0 6px;color:#646464;font-family:'Indy Sans','Indy Sans Fallback',sans-serif;font-size:15px}.CmSgF{margin:0 0 12px}.lbFVDq{height:380px}.bsSHYO{width:100%;height:51px}.bjKtIv{margin-bottom:16px;border-bottom:1px solid #919191}.jLzsCV{margin-bottom:16px}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']{position:relative;margin-bottom:12px;border-bottom:1px solid #d3d3d3}.jLzsCV [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0{display:flex;position:absolute;bottom:16px;left:10px;width:32px;height:32px;align-items:center;justify-content:center;border-radius:50%;background-color:#ec1a2e}.jLzsCV [role='listitem'] .sc-u4n1j-0>svg{width:90%;fill:#fff;stroke:transparent}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:first-child{display:block;padding-bottom:0;margin-bottom:12px}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:first-child .sc-u4n1j-0{top:-15px;bottom:auto;left:12px;width:35px;height:35px}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:first-child>*:first-child{display:block;width:100%;height:205px}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:first-child>*:last-child{position:absolute;bottom:0;width:100%;padding:28px 12px 12px;background:linear-gradient(to top,#222 50%,rgba(34,34,34,0.9) 100%) no-repeat;color:#fff;font-size:17px;font-weight:bold}.jLzsCV [role='listitem']:last-child{margin-bottom:0;border-bottom:0 none}.kNZMQb{min-height:1924px}@media(max-width:767px){.kNZMQb{display:none}}.iFeFcz{width:308px}.iFeFcz.hidden{display:none}@media(max-width:999px){.iFeFcz{display:none}}.article-liveblog .fbWdwj{background-color:#f7f7f7}.eFgmkR{justify-content:center}.cvujVr{justify-content:center}
Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
Not now Yes please
News UK UK Politics Keir Starmer regrets not having closer relationship with ‘difficult’ father, Labour leader reveals 'He was incredibly hard working. He worked as a tool maker on a factory floor all of his life’
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Subscribe Already subscribed? Log in Labour leader Keir Starmer has revealed his complex relationship with his distant father in an interview with Desert Island Discs (PA)
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference. Read more Sir Keir Starmer has opened up about his complicated relationship with his father during an interview on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs .
The Labour leader, who grew up in a left-wing working class family in Surrey, said he was not especially close to his father, Rodney, a toolmaker, who he described as a “difficult man”.
"I don't often talk about my dad,” Sir Keir told the programme’s host Lauren Laverne . “He was a difficult man, a complicated man. He kept himself to himself. He didn't particularly like to socialise, so he wouldn't really go out very much.”
Rodney’s wife Josephine, a nurse, was forced to give up work because she had Still’s disease, a rare autoimmune disease which gradually robbed Sir Keir’s mother of her speech and movement.
Despite their stilted relationship, Sir Keir said Rodney was devoted in his care of his wife.
"He was incredibly hard working. He worked as a tool maker on a factory floor all of his life,” Sir Keir said.
"Also, he had this utter commitment and devotion to my mum. My mum was very, very ill all of her life and my dad knew exactly the symptoms of everything that might possibly go wrong with my mum.
"He stopped drinking completely just in case he ever needed to go to the hospital with her.”
Rodney and Josephine named their son after the Labour Party’s first leader, Keir Hardie, and instilled in him their own leftist politics from a young age. But despite this, he said he never managed to foster any real intimacy with his father.
"I wouldn't say we were close. I understood who he was, and what he was. But we weren't close. And, I regret that."
Sir Keir added: "As young children we spent a lot of time in and out of high dependency units with my mum, thinking we were going to lose her.
"I remember one occasion when I was about 13 or 14, my dad phoning me from the hospital and saying 'I don't think mum's going to make it, will you tell the others?'
"And that was tough. That was really tough. So we pulled through that as a family."
During his interview Sir Keir also revealed his favourite music, including Northern Soul records which reminded him of early years living in a “grotty flat” in London above a sauna and massage parlour, and Jim Reeves’s ‘Welcome To My World’, which was his mother’s favourite track.
Thank you for registering Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments