Sir Keir Starmer tells ITV he wants to be prime minister for a decade

Sir Keir Starmer tells ITV News UK Editor Paul Brand that he hopes to be prime minister until he's 71-years-old to complete his 'decade of national renewal'

Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants to be prime minister for a decade, in an interview with ITV's Tonight programme.

Asked whether his party's promise of a 'decade of national renewal' meant the Labour leader wanted to serve in Downing Street for ten years, he replied: "Of course."

"I want to see that through. It's my phrase," he said.

Sir Keir would be 71 in a decade's time, but insisted: "I'm determined to see this through. I've certainly got the energy and the intent of steel."

ITV's Tonight programme is profiling leaders of Great Britain's largest political parties during the election campaign.

During Sir Keir's interview, which airs on Thursday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, the Labour leader goes into detail about his personality and politics.

For the first time, he suggests a target of 2.5% GDP growth under a Labour government.

“Under the last Labour government, we grew by about two percent”, Sir Keir said.

“So you're looking for that kind of growth - two and a half percent?" he was pressed.

“Certainly, yes," he replied.

Economists have questioned Labour's ability to avoid spending cuts or higher taxes simply by growing the economy. The Office for Budgetary Responsibility forecasts the UK economy will only grow by 0.8% this year.

He said that would mean Labour could promise "more money in front pockets" of voters.

But when repeatedly challenged, Sir Keir refused to scrap the two child benefit limit, despite accepting that it had pushed some children into poverty.

He said: "What I'm not going to do is put something in the manifesto which on the current state of the economy, I don't think that we can properly afford.”

Sir Keir also refused to promise rapid reform of social care - a promise which governments of all colours have repeatedly failed to deliver.

Reform would take "five years or more" he said, to the disappointment of the care sector, which has questioned the seriousness of his plans.

Sir Keir also spoke about his family's faith, revealing that he often observes the Jewish tradition of Friday prayers with his wife Vic, his two teenage children, and his father-in-law and sister-in-law.

“Vic's dad and his family came from Poland,” he said. “He comes over on a Friday night, which he does quite frequently. He's 95.”

“We will do Friday night prayers.

“We do go to the synagogue from time to time and observe the traditions. And that is because faith is important to us. So, yes, it does matter.”

Sir Keir clarified however that he is not personally religious himself.

Colin Peacock spoke exclusively to ITV's Tonight programme about his lifelong friendship with Sir Keir Starmer

During the film, Sir Keir's lifelong friend Colin Peacock speaks exclusively for the first time about the Labour leader, describing the moment he rescued Mr Peacock from school bullies.

“He saw me in the graveyard with Sellotape wrapped around and saw the boys laughing and thought this is an outrage. We're not having that,” he told the Tonight programme.

“He's not going to ever be someone who toots his own horn, you know, or says I'm brilliant. And he's never going to be a comic or a clown,” Mr Peacock added.

“So sometimes I can see, you know, he does look a bit serious, but that's in his DNA through his training as a lawyer.”

The full interview airs Thursday, June 27 at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX

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