Starmer has been offered only one job since announcing his departure... as a hedge trimmer

By SAM MERRIMAN, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT and JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR and NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:53, 16 July 2026 | Updated: 00:55, 16 July 2026 Keir Starmer's biographer has revealed that the outgoing PM has had only one job offer since announcing his departure - trimming his father-in-law's hedge. Tom Baldwin, a friend and former Labour adviser, also suggested Sir Keir could quit the Commons before the next election despite insisting he would stay on. Mr Baldwin said: 'Maybe I'm breaking a confidence here, but I think he's said this to a number of people. He says he's been offered one job so far, which is to cut his father-in-law Bernard's hedge.  'He says he's not offering minimum wage, but might take it on the basis that if he does it well, he might be allowed to move up to lawns.' Following reports that Sir Keir is considering a job as the secretary general of Nato, Mr Baldwin said that the PM would be 'interested' in becoming the head of the military alliance.  But he told Times Radio that 'it probably requires Andy Burnham's government to support him in that'. In Sir Keir's final PMQs yesterday he was given a standing ovation by Labour MPs as he paid tribute to his family and insisted he was leaving the country in a better place. He declined to take a shot at Mr Burnham - who was not in the Commons amid preparations to take over in Downing Street on Monday - and declared he would give his 'wholehearted support' to the next Labour government. Keir Starmer's biographer has revealed that the outgoing PM has had only one job offer since announcing his departure - trimming his father-in-law's hedge (file image) Hundreds of Labour MPs - most of whom have been plotting determinedly to get rid of Sir Keir - gave him an emotional standing ovation at his last PMQs 'Every Prime Minister knows when they take up the torch that the day will come when they have to pass it on. That day has come for me. This is the end of my political journey,' he said. So far Mr Burnham has insisted no decisions have been made regarding positions in his team. There is briefing from allies of the PM-in-waiting that Ed Miliband's prospects of becoming Chancellor are waning, with MPs warning the Net Zero Secretary would be too 'risky' and businesses taking fright at his left-wing views. Shabana Mahmood and Yvette Cooper are among the other names in the frame for the key job. Darren Jones, a key ally of Sir Keir, confirmed he was 'definitely' not going to remain in post next week, telling LBC he had been 'writing a handover note' and 'tidying up loose ends'. Sir Keir, who spent the start of this week in France where he bizarrely received the Legion d'honneur from Emmanuel Macron, is said to be sad but philosophical about the crumbling of his political career. 'It's not the way he wanted it to end, but he is doing the right thing by the country and the party,' one close ally told the Daily Mail. Mr Burnham was not in the Commons for PMQs. He has been racking up even more nominations from 'crawling' Labour MPs as his coronation moment nears 'He won't be shouting from the sidelines.' The outgoing PM held a reception on Tuesday night for campaigners whose causes he had supported. The Prime Minister said: 'I'm pleased to have delivered on the promises that I made to many people in this garden, and I'll make this last promise, which is I will stand with you and walk with you for as long as I've got breath in my body.' In a sign of the closer relationship he has tried to forge with European neighbours, he also attended Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on Tuesday.