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4 months ago
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Sir Keir Starmer's wife Victoria has a 'powerful presence' and will enjoy a major boost to her profile on her first foreign trip, a publicity expert said today.
Britain's new 'first lady' landed with her husband in Washington DC today for a Nato summit that will see western allies discuss how to stand together against Russian aggression.
Wearing a white dress and a pair of silver heels, Lady Starmer - an NHS occupational health worker - walked hand in hand with Sir Keir as they disembarked their plane at Joint Base Andrews early this morning.
The PM's spouse has stayed largely out of the limelight during the election campaign but will take part in a series of engagements with other leaders' wives and husbands over the coming days.
Publicity guru Mark Borkowski said Lady Starmer has been 'great from day one' and predicted her first foreign trip would provide a further boost to her public profile.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria disembark from their plane at Joint Base Andrews in Washington this morning
The visit to the US will be the Starmers' first overseas trip as Britain's 'first couple'
The PM's spouse has stayed largely out of the limelight during the election campaign but will take part in a series of engagements with other leaders' wives and husbands over the coming days
'While she wasn't front and centre on the campaign trail, she's rapidly developing into becoming a significant ''First Lady'',' he told MailOnline.
'Americans like the idea of the First Lady, and with Jill Biden doing the heavy lifting at the moment with Joe there's something in the zeitgeist about public women who are front and centre.
'I'm sure she's a great presence and a rock to him - which all leaders need. The expectation in years gone by that spouses like Denis Thatcher were in the shadows.
'But those days have changed and you need to project steadfastness. That wasn't the case with Rishi's wife, probably because of the negative headlines that went with her due to her family wealth.
'So when you see images of Keir with Victoria it shows he has strength at home and you get the subliminal idea that she will be offering good advice too.'
Mr Borkowski said Lady Starmer's sense of style was already attracting attention.
He continued: 'She's clearly got an amazing stylist. There are lots of photos being taken of her and you know things are going in the right direction when the fashion editors of the broadsheets start talking about your style.
'In America it's about aesthetics, so she'll need to avoid all the sexism that goes with that.
'But if you look at how powerful Kate has been to William and the vacuum that has been created by her coping with her health issues you'll see how important partners can be.'
Friends have said that Britain should not expect Lady Starmer to stay in the public eye - because her focus is very much on their two children, one of whom has just completed their GCSEs.
Both the Starmer teenagers are said to be 'completely freaked out' by the idea of being known for the first time, and the new Prime Minister admitted this week that he had promised them a dog if he were to win the election - to sweeten the move from their £1.75million north London home to Downing Street.
And his wife will still work in the NHS as an occupational therapist while he gets on with running the country.
The couple boarding a plane at Stansted Airport before their flight to America
Sir Keir Starmer puts his hand out to greet his wife Lady Victoria after his first speech as Prime Minister
'She's a streetwise grounded, brilliant, gorgeous woman who wants as far as she can to get on with her own life and to protect it', Mr Starmer said recently.
'She loves working for the NHS. She loves the team that she's working with. And she and I are doing our best to raise two happy and confident children and that matters hugely to us.'
Over the next two days, the Starmers will rub shoulders with US President Joe Biden and a host of other leaders including president Zelensky of Ukraine.
The trip comes as Sir Keir presses for European nations to increase defence spending.
However, he has refused to guarantee meeting his flagship commitment to hit 2.5 per cent of GDP within his first term in office, despite a 'cast iron' promise to get there.
The timescale will be set out after a wholesale defence review being launched next week - which may take a year - and must comply with the Government's strict 'fiscal rules' on spending and borrowing.
Sources told the Telegraph that the review could also look at increasing the size of the British Army, whose strength fell to a 200-year low under the Tories.
Sir Keir will hold talks with Mr Biden in the White House this evening as the US President faces domestic pressures over his age and suitability to run for a second term.
The prospect of Donald Trump being returned to the White House in November's election is being viewed as cause for concern within the alliance given his past criticisms of Nato and his threats to reduce aid to Ukraine.
Sir Keir and Victoria with his parents Josephine and Rodney, taken on their wedding day in 2007
European Nato states face shouldering a greater burden as part of a drive to 'Trump proof' the alliance should the Republican candidate return to office and weaken US commitment to the 32-nation bloc.
Speaking to reporters, Sir Keir was repeatedly pressed on whether the goal of spending 2.5 per cent of GDP would be reached within his first term.
He said: 'We are committed to the 2.5 per cent, as I have said before the election and I say again after the election. That is obviously subject to our fiscal rules, but the commitment is there.
'The strategic review will take place, that will happen next week, and we will set out the details of that.
'The manifesto commitment was that it would take place within a year, I would like it to be quicker than that if I'm honest and we'll set out the details about how we are going to do it.'
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