Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria embarked on a poignant family journey to Poland over the weekend, taking their two children to explore their Jewish heritage. The trip centred on the village of Kolo, located on the outskirts of Warsaw, where Lady Starmer's grandparents once resided before fleeing to the United Kingdom.
A Personal Pilgrimage to Family Roots
The visit held deep personal significance for Victoria Starmer, whose father Bernard was born in Britain in 1929 after her grandparents escaped rising anti-Semitism in mainland Europe. Tragically, none of her relatives who remained in Poland survived the Holocaust during the Second World War. Sir Keir, who is not Jewish himself, accompanied his wife in a show of support, bringing along their 16-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son.
Confronting the Horrors of History
This marked the Prime Minister's first visit to the village, though his wife had been there previously and has actively worked with the Holocaust Educational Trust in the UK, even hosting an event for the organisation at Downing Street. Speaking after the emotional visit, Sir Keir reflected on the profound impact, stating that the Holocaust represented "a collective endeavour by thousands of ordinary people who each played their part in constructing this whole industry of death."
He added that for his wife, returning to these sites remained "no less harrowing than the first time she stepped through that gate and witnessed the depravity of what happened here," according to reports from the Telegraph.
Continuing a Solemn Tradition
The Poland trip formed part of a longer family weekend and continues a pattern of Holocaust remembrance for the couple. Last January, they visited Auschwitz in what was Sir Keir's first experience at the notorious death camp. At that time, he described being unprepared for "the sheer horror" and called the experience "utterly harrowing."
Embracing Jewish Traditions at Home
Beyond these educational journeys, the Starmer family has incorporated Jewish traditions into their daily lives. Before becoming Prime Minister, Sir Keir spoke about observing Shabbat dinners on Fridays, where he avoids work-related tasks after 6pm whenever possible to create protected family time.
He explained to Virgin Radio: "We've had a strategy in place and we'll try to keep to it, which is to carve out really protected time for the kids, so on a Friday – I've been doing this for years – I will not do a work-related thing after 6 o'clock, pretty well come what may."
The Prime Minister has emphasised the importance of his children recognising their grandfather's faith, stating that "carving out that tradition, that bit of faith on Friday is incredibly important." Since Sir Keir assumed office, the couple has deliberately kept their children out of the public spotlight while maintaining these cultural connections.
Responding to Contemporary Challenges
The family's commitment to Jewish heritage extends to responding to modern tragedies. In the aftermath of the October terror attack at a Manchester synagogue that claimed two lives, Lady Starmer joined her husband on a visit to the venue to pay respects and meet with the affected congregation.
This most recent trip to Poland represents both a personal exploration of family history and a broader educational mission, as the Starmer family continues to honour and preserve connections to Jewish heritage while confronting the painful legacy of the Holocaust.
