I won’t work after 6pm to protect time with my children, says Sir Keir Starmer, but he is criticized as ‘Sir Sleepy’ again

Sir Keir Starmer has been branded “Sir Sleepy” after saying he will not work “24/7” as Prime Minister – even leaving at 6pm on a Friday.

The dad-of-two insisted he would continue to have “protected kids time” later in the week.

The Labor leader said he “will not do anything work-related after 6pm, whatever happens”, which will continue to reach Downing Street.

Speaking to Virgin Radio, he said: “I don’t believe in the theory that you are a better decision maker if you don’t allow yourself the space to be a father and have fun with your children,

“It actually helps me. It takes the pressure off me, it relaxes me, and I think that actually, that’s not all I want to do as a father, it’s better.”

Sir Keir told breakfast host Chris Evans: “Politics, some people think that if you fill your diary 24/7 and do nothing else, that will make you a much better decision maker. I do not agree with this. I think you need to make room.”

But Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, known for a rigorous working schedule, criticized the decision to finish early whatever the circumstances.

He said: “I haven’t seen the comments but what I would say is – what time is it now? – I never finished at 6pm.

“We would only have a few hours left in the day at this point, which isn’t great.”

A Tory source: “Whether he likes it or not, if he becomes PM, Sir Sleepy will be required to work after 6pm.

“If he thinks he can just put on his flip-flops and make a pint of Horlicks whilst tuning in to The One Show then he’s in for a shock.”

Meanwhile, Sir Keir insisted the final days until the polls opened were the “most difficult stages” as he embarked on a tour of stops or target seats.

The head of the Labor Party is using the last two days of the campaign to get the vote out, claiming that some constituencies will “go to the limit”.

He visited three traditional Conservative strongholds in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire today, surrounded by dozens of supporters.

Sir Keir said: “This is the last mile, these are the last hard yards, but the last steps are always the most difficult.”

He added that “change can only happen if you vote for it” before saying “people need to be convinced, there are undecided people out there.”

The Labor leader insisted there are no areas the party will stay away from, as Rishi Sunak warns the party will win a “supermajority”.

On his visit to the Buckingham and Bletchley headquarters, he said: “There are no off-limits areas.

“I want to go to places like this, places we wouldn’t normally win, because first and foremost, I think it’s important that we see the task of winning every vote as a nationwide task.”

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