Revealed: ‘Top Chap’ Starmer’s Leading Role in His Private School Old Boys Network
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Keir Starmer, the man who will probably be Prime Minister next week, has a complicated relationship with class politics. Self-styled as “working class”, he trumpets Labour’s policy of whacking VAT on private school fees. The hypocrisy is searing: Starmer attended a boys school, Reigate Grammar School (RGS), which became an independent fee-paying school while he was there. His own fees were funded by what was effectively an assisted places scheme run by the local council – of the type later abolished by Labour. As Guido noted yesterday, Starmer’s private education extended to Saturdays too…
Given that Starmer will now impose taxes which will push half a million children out of private schools into the over-burdened state sector, you’d think he was an ardent critic of private education. But his consistent involvement with the alumni network of his school suggests otherwise, as a Guido investigation reveals…
In 2016, a few months before the referendum, Starmer found time to attend the celebration of the life of his former Latin master at RGS. Starmer gave the final toast and “asked everyone to look carefully at the image of Aubs [the teacher] that was on the screen and reflected: I was taught by Aubs in the broadest sense of the word. I was taught much more than Latin and like many others I stayed a friend of his throughout his life.” David Jones, a former teacher, wrote of Starmer’s further contributions to the old boys network in 2020:
“Even while occupying significant national positions, Keir has been a staunch supporter of Reigate Grammar School and RGS Foundation activities: to me one measure of the man has been his willingness, following events at RGS, to join friends and former teachers for an old-fashioned pint in a local pub. We all take pride in our alumni achieving high office, and Sir Keir Starmer has acquired his latest, and highest office of all so far…”
Shortly after Starmer entered politics, a former classmate noted his willingness to attend industry events arranged via “the Reigatian connection” – aka, calling on the old school tie network:
“In his post-DPP period and in the early stages of him having entered politics (about 2015, I think), I called on the Reigatian connection, and cajoled Keir into speaking at a dinner for 200+ lawyers at the Law Society. I introduced him in the ordinary way – impressive legal career, QC, DPP, and I think by then, he had been Labour MP for St Pancras for a few months. I then mentioned the RGS connection – we were the era of the Bearded Wonder, Bill Frindall, and of David Walliams, who liked dressing up as a woman. Not the most stunning list of alumni. But Keir? Well, he wasn’t even the most famous person in his own class – because that person was Quentin aka Norman… aka Fat Boy Slim! And for those that contend that Keir is a bit dull and stilted, well not bit of it! He embarked on a two-minute affectionate reminiscence on RGS days. Of violin lessons with ‘Norman’, and of playing in a band with him – “I could’ve been a rock star!”… Very entertaining, a top chap and whilst I tend to vote for the other side (!) Keir is that proper grown up in the room, and just the kind of person the country needs at a time like this, and going forward.”
In 2020 Starmer appeared at an event at RGS, literally wearing his old school tie. In other words, Starmer has gone out of his way to assist the elite alumni network of a fee-paying school – now he wants to pull the ladder up for hard pressed families who make sacrifices to pay for private education. Just imagine the networking opportunities if this Old Reigatian becomes Prime Minister…
