Prime Minister Keir Starmer has shared his love for Scottish post-punk band Orange Juice and northern soul music in a candid interview on BBC Radio 3's Private Passions. The programme, recorded at Chequers, saw Starmer select a range of music from Beethoven to Tchaikovsky, while reflecting on his personal and musical journey.
Starmer, who learned violin alongside Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) at school, described Orange Juice as 'absolutely fantastic', linking their music to his move to Leeds for university in the 1980s. 'The whole cultural experience going from rural village life to a really busy, diverse, fantastic, living city like Leeds. And with it came a whole new chapter of music,' he said.
The Prime Minister also spoke emotionally about his family, including his mother's struggle with Still's disease and her death weeks before his election as an MP in 2015. He chose music from Swan Lake as his first piece in tribute to her love of ballet. Starmer became visibly moved discussing the death of his younger brother Nick on Boxing Day last year, saying music provided an escape.
On policy, Starmer expressed concern over the decline of music in schools, stating, 'I think we've let music, creatives and art slip too much.' He also addressed Brexit's impact on musicians touring Europe, vowing to ease the problems: 'I'm absolutely determined that we will do whatever we can to make it easier.'
