Victoria Starmer led ‘Team Keir’ in Downing Street this morning as the Prime Minister’s family and closest allies gathered to watch his tearful resignation speech.

Shortly after 9.30am, Keir Starmer was greeted by cheers and applause from his supporters as he stepped out of No10 together with Lady Starmer.

The PM’s wife then stood together with Sir Keir’s top team as he went on to announce he will depart as premier and Labour leader in the coming weeks.

Following his emotional address to the nation just outside No10’s black door, Sir Keir was applauded again by the crowd behind him. 

Among those who turned out to support Sir Keir were Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, Attorney General Richard Hermer, and International Development minister Jenny Chapman.

Sir Keir’s son also made a rare public appearance to hear his father’s tribute to ‘my beautiful children, who are my pride and my joy’.

But there was one notable absentee from the group who gathered in Downing Street as Chancellor Rachel Reeves chose not to attend.

This is despite her residing in the two-bedroom flat above No10, while Sir Keir’s family are in the larger flat above No11.

Among ‘Team Keir’ were Victoria Starmer (1), Richard Hermer (2), Ben Nunn (3), Jenny Chapman (4), and Abena Oppong-Asare (5)

Others to gather in Downing Street included Jon Pearce (6), Darren Jones (7), David Lammy (8), and Sir Keir’s son (9)

Westminster journalists-turned-advisers Liz Bates (10) and John Stevens (11) were also among those to attend the PM’s resignation speech

Ms Reeves, who is said to be hoping to remain as Chancellor under Sir Keir’s successor, later paid tribute to the departing PM in a social media post.

‘We have achieved a lot together to be proud of, and there is more to do,’ she wrote.  ‘I am grateful for Keir’s leadership and the work he has done to build a stronger, more secure Britain.’

The Chancellor was on Monday afternoon among those Labour ministers who gathered for a photocall with Andy Burnham – the former Greater Manchester mayor and new Makerfield MP who is widely expected to replace Sir Keir – in Parliament’s Westminster Hall.

Who’s who in Team Keir?

1. Lady Starmer – The PM’s wife is said to have been one of the loudest voices among those urging Sir Keir to fight on in Downing Street during his recent travails. In his resignation speech, Sir Keir paid tribute to his ‘fantastic’ wife and said she had been ‘a rock by my side, through good times and bad’.
2. Lord Hermer – The Attorney General is one of Sir Keir’s closest political allies. He was hand-picked to be the Government’s chief legal adviser by Sir Keir when he became PM in July 2024. Sir Keir and Lord Hermer forged a close relationship while working together as barristers at the same chambers in the 1990s and 2000s.
3. Ben Nunn – Ms Reeves’ chief of staff is among the PM’s most trusted advisers after he worked for Sir Keir while Labour were in opposition. When Labour entered Government in July 2024, Mr Nunn was the Chancellor’s media adviser. But he was later appointed as her chief of staff in an effort to further strengthen ties between Downing Street and the Treasury.
4. Baroness Chapman – The International Development minister is a Labour peer in the House of Lords. The former MP was previously chair of Sir Keir’s successful Labour leadership campaign in 2020 and went on to be Sir Keir’s political secretary while he was Leader of the Opposition
5. Abena Oppong-Asare – The Erith and Thamesmead MP was appointed as Sir Keir’s Parliamentary Private Secretary in September last year. The unpaid role sees Ms Oppong-Asare serve as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the PM within the Commons.
6. Jon Pearce – The High Peak MP was also appointed as Sir Keir’s Parliamentary Private Secretary in September last year.
7. Darren Jones – The Bristol North West MP is Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister and one of Sir Keir’s closest Cabinet allies. It had been suggested Mr Jones might run for the Labour leadership himself, if Sir Keir was ousted, as a ‘stop Andy Burnham’ candidate. But that now seems an unlikely prospect.
8. David Lammy – The Tottenham MP has been Deputy Prime Minister since the resignation of Angela Rayner forced Sir Keir to undertake a frantic Cabinet reshuffle. He will be hoping to remain in the Cabinet in some role under a new Labour leader.
9. Keir Starmer’s son – In his resignation speech, Sir Keir paid tribute to both his son and daugther. He said: ‘When I leave the biggest job in the country I shall spend more time on the most important job. Being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife, Vic, who has been a rock by my side, through good times and bad. And being the best dad I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and my joy.’
10. Liz Bates – The former Sky News journalist is a media adviser to Housing Secretary Steve Reed. She is married to Jake Richards, the Labour MP for Rother Valley and a junior justice minister. Mr Richards’ sister, Amy, is Sir Keir’s political director.
11. John Stevens – Another former Westminster journalist to have made the switch to working in Government. He is Downing Street’s head of political media – a role he moved into following a spell as special adviser to Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden.