Sir Keir Starmer is considering a future job as the secretary general of Nato, it has been reported.

The Prime Minister is interested in the job, currently held by Mark Rutte, the former prime minister of the Netherlands, according to The Observer.

Nato’s secretary general position will become vacant in 2028 unless Mr Rutte’s tenure is extended by consent of all member states.

Sir Keir announced last Monday that he will quit No 10 in the wake of Andy Burnham’s resounding victory in the Makerfield by-election.

Sir Keir’s allies argue that during the G7 summit he was well respected by European leaders and also fostered close relations with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president.

But such a role would require transactional political deals that Sir Keir has often struggled to negotiate, The Observer said.

Sir Keir would also require clear government backing to have a chance at being chosen for the role.

If an election is not called before 2028, Labour could face a difficult by-election in Sir Keir’s Holborn and St Pancras constituency, where the party is vulnerable to defeat by the Greens.

Sir Keir has been criticised for spending too much time on international affairs and not enough on domestic issues.

He has travelled more and further than any other British leader in official history, including almost double the distance that Sir Tony Blair covered in the same period in office.

During the first 17 months of his government, Sir Keir spent two and a half months abroad.

The process for selecting the Nato secretary general involves a series of informal diplomatic meetings with Nato member countries, while the final decision requires the consent of all 32 member states.

Last week, a Downing Street spokesman confirmed that Sir Keir intended to serve out the remainder of his term as an MP.

Read More: Starmer ‘eyeing up NATO chief role’