When Labour gather in Liverpool today for the start of their conference - their first as a government in 14 years - they will hope they can put the last week behind them. Sir Keir Starmer and his top team have been bruised by the frockgate row and questions over freebies from donors. Over the last parliament, he accepted more than £100,000 of gifts.
Most damaging of all has been the revelation that the Prime Minister, his wife and senior members of his cabinet have taken thousands of pounds from long-time Labour supporter Lord Alli to spend on clothes. READ MORE: Starmer: Scotland's financial mess is SNP's responsibility Winter fuel payment protest as campaigners warn of impact Starmer acknowledges appeal of Scottish independence Cabinet ministers doing media rounds insisted it was important that the Prime Minister look his best when working for the British people. Nevertheless, on Friday, he was forced into a U-turn after coming under pressure from colleagues, and confirmed he would stop taking free clothes, though there are still questions over other gifts.
And then there’s the infighting in an increasingly dysfunctional No 10, with his warring aides constantly briefing the press against each other. It came to a head last week with the revelation by the BBC that Chief of Staff Sue Gray was on a salary of £170,000, more than Sir Keir. In a round of an interviews on Thursday, the PM insisted he was “completely in control.
” And then there’s the growing industrial cri.