Keir Starmer donates biography about himself to Downing Street library... and it was written by ex-PM's pal

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Seven other ministers handed in their donations before being catapulted back onto the backbenches

Sir Keir Starmer has donated a biography about himself to the Downing Street library – which was penned by a close friend of the former Prime Minister.

The latest additions to the No10 library also include former Chancellor Rachel Reeves's own book, as well as those of ex-Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and former Cabinet Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds.

Written by ex-Labour aide Tom Baldwin, Keir Starmer: The Biography sets out the MP's "journey" from his time as a human rights lawyer to his time as Labour leader.

The book claims to lay out the former leader's "transformation of the party and vision" despite the ex-Prime Minister being pelted with accusations of failing to have a vision for the country in his final weeks in No10.

The biography has joined an eclectic library of more than 400 books, some of which are housed in Downing Street's Cabinet Room.

Since 1931, serving Government ministers have been allowed to hand in their contributions to a growing literary portfolio.

Seven ministers from Sir Keir's Cabinet have handed in their choices.

Former Chancellor Rachel Reeves donated Alice in Westminster: The political life of Alice Bacon, which she wrote in 2016 about the former deputy leader of the Labour Party.

Starmer loyalist Darren Jones, who told Peter Mandelson he was "sorry" that the Epstein associate was fired during his two-year tenure, handed in Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home, a book written by Pope Francis.

Meanwhile, Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary who "unknowingly" breached donation rules back in November 2025 and oversaw the BBC's unprecedented bias row, handed in her own book, All In: How we build a country that works.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, a Cabinet Office minister who was hit with sleaze accusations by a female MP in June, also donated his own book on Harold Wilson.

Bridget Phillipson, who was one of those involved in the 2024 Lord Alli donations scandal, selected Choose Freedom: The Future for Democratic Socialism by ex-Labour deputy leader Roy Hattersley.

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Meanwhile, the ex-Welsh Secretary, Jo Stevens, who was labelled a "dinosaur" for excluding Welsh speakers by only printing campaign leaflets in English, donated The Fed: A history of the South Wales miners in the twentieth century.

Written by Hywel Francis and Davis Smith, the book stresses unions' significant role in work-class communities and struggles afflicted on industry.

And, finally, ex-Treasury Minister James Murray offered Instruction to Deliver – a book by Sir Michael Barber, which recounted his experience of working in the Blair administration.

Britain's serving Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has only spent one month in office and is yet to make a contribution to the historic collection.

As a former English literature graduate from the University of Cambridge, it is expected Mr Burnham will offer up his own donation during his tenure.

Previous Conservative Governments have extended the collection as well, with Boris Johnson adding his own book. The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History.

Sir Mark Spencer, a former farming minister, chose Jeremy Clarkson's book about life running a farm, titled Diddly Squat.

One former Tory minister, Iain MacLeod, wrote inside his own book, which he donated, saying: "Perhaps this is the only book in this library which will bring true profit to its readers."