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Labour insiders have described Sir Keir Starmer as a "passive PM" in an explosive new book extract, while also despairing over his decision-making abilities. The account, titled "Get In - The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer," gives an explosive behind-the-scenes story of Labour's return to power, divulging details of Sir Keir's first few months as Prime Minister.

The book, by political journalists Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund, recaps how the Government came to initially axe winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners, as well as describing the discussions between ministers over taking control of British Steel's plant in Scunthorpe, and how Sir Keir backed down to rebel Labour MPs on welfare reform. The updated book - first published in 2025 - details how, during his first few weeks in office, Sir Keir would read for hours in his study in No10, but then "said nothing".

"It's just so odd," a senior official told the authors, in an extract published by The Sunday Times. "It's a very oddly passive premiership."

One adviser said of the Prime Minister that, unlike those who worked for Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and "would have known exactly" their views, "none of us could say the same about Keir".

"It wasn't just that we didn't know what he would say. We didn't know whether he would have said anything," they added.

Meanwhile, one former Downing Street aide told the authors that Sir Keir is "the least intellectually curious person I have ever met".

Another source said: "He can only prepare by reading briefing books for hours on end. He doesn't brainstorm. He has no fixed views on anything. There's no clarity because there's no belief.

"There's no belief because there's no understanding. There's no understanding because there's no curiosity."

The updated book also explores the relationship between Sir Keir and Morgan McSweeney, who was his No10 chief of staff until last month when he resigned over the Peter Mandelson scandal. A colleague of both men said: "It's definitely not a relationship where the chief of staff is the voice and the eyes and the ears of their principal.

"The room where decisions are taken doesn't exist. You would think that it was a deliberate thing, that Keir thrives in chaos. But it's not, and he doesn't. It's very, very strange."

The Express has contacted No10 for comment.