Sir Keir Starmer has taken some decisive action to restore his reputation by repaying £6,000 for a series of high-profile gifts received since he became Prime Minister. The repayment includes six tickets to a Taylor Swift concert, four tickets to horse races, and a rental agreement for clothing from a luxury designer. The Prime Minister’s move comes amid mounting scrutiny regarding the close connections between the government and wealthy donors, particularly after he, along with members of his Cabinet - including Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner - faced backlash for accepting lavish gifts.
Some of his critics have pointed out the apparent contradiction between Starmer’s promises to "clean up" politics and the reality of him accepting freebies. During a visit to Brussels , Sir Keir addressed the issue, saying: "We came in as a government of change, we are now going to bring forward principles for donations. "We are now going to bring forward principles for donations because, until now, politicians have used their best individual judgment on a case-by-case basis.
I think we need some principles of general application. "So, I took the position that until the principles are in place it was right for me to make those repayments." He acknowledged the need for clearer guidelines around gifts and hospitality, which he plans to incorporate into an updated ministerial code.
The Labour leader added that until the new guideline is established, he believed it was appropriate to repay .
