Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality received since becoming prime minister, following a backlash over donations. The prime minister is covering the cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four tickets to the races and a clothing rental agreement with a high-end designer favoured by his wife, Lady Starmer. It comes after Sir Keir and other cabinet ministers have faced weeks of criticism for accepting freebies from wealthy donors.
The prime minister said it was "right" for him to repay the cost of some gifts. Sir Keir was asked about the donations during a trip to Brussels for talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The prime minister said his government would bring forward new principles for donations "as until now politicians have used their best individual judgement to decide".
"I took the decision that until those principles were in place it was right to repay these particular payments," he said. Sir Keir has committed to tightening the rules around ministerial hospitality and gifts to improve transparency. Earlier, a Downing Street spokesperson confirmed that the ministerial code will be updated and will include "a new set of principles on gifts and hospitality" commissioned by Sir Keir.
MPs are allowed to accept gifts from donors but have to declare these on the register of MPs’ interests. The media storm over donations to ministers has dogged Sir Keir’s government since Labour won its landsli.