The Tories have said the the acceptance of luxury gifts “beggars belief” Labour figures have defended Sir Keir Starmer being given free tickets to Arsenal matches and a Taylor Swift concert, with a cabinet member saying it “wouldn’t be right” to compare cuts to winter fuel payments with gifts given to the Prime Minister. It comes amid a row over Sir Keir’s alleged breach of parliamentary rules by failing to declare donations from peer Lord Alli of clothing for his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer, within a set time limit. The Tories have demanded a full investigation into the Starmers’ links with Lord Alli and said the acceptance of gifts “beggars belief”.
It comes in the wake of the decision to strip all but the country’s poorest pensioners of the winter fuel payment . The Sunday Times last week reported the donations covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for Lady Starmer both before and after Labour’s election win in July. MPs are required to register gifts and donations within 28 days.
Sir Keir, who supports Arsenal, has been given the use of a corporate box by the North London outfit, which is worth thousands of pounds. ITV News reported that he used it for the first game of this season. Labour’s Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds today defended the gifts and the Prime Minister’s use of the box at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.
On ministers receiving gifts while cutting fuel allowance to pensioners, Mr Reynolds told Sky News: “The reason we’ve had to make some tough decisions already in the first two months is because there’s a big black hole in the public finances. “I don’t think that is the same thing. I know Keir Starmer personally, I know how hard he works.
If he’s going to a football match or anything, to give himself a little bit of a wider life experience and just working every second, again I don’t have any objections to that, as long as it’s transparent. “I think to conflate the two issues and forget the fact that there are major issues facing the UK that can only be addressed because we’ve got a change of Government wouldn’t be right.” Before the general election, the Starmers were pictured at one of Taylor Swift’s Wembley gigs, having received tickets worth £4,000.
On Sir Keir Starmer receiving these gifted tickets, Mr Reynolds said: “I think these are major cultural, sporting events. I think it’s important people in public life have some connection to that, that they are aware of that. "Of course, going to see Taylor Swift – I’ve never seen her myself, but I hear it’s a very significant and lovely experience to do so.
But, again, as long as those things are declared openly, transparently, in accordance with the rules, there’s no objection on my part to that.” Number 10 has said it sought advice from the authorities on the issue of declarations and believed its conduct had been compliant “however, following further interrogation this month, we have declared further items”. Foreign Secretary David Lammy has suggested that Sir Keir and his wife Victoria accept such gifts to “look their best” for the country and rely on donations where other countries allow lavish, taxpayer-funded budgets for clothing for their leaders.
Asked whether British taxpayers should foot the bill for such expenses, the Prime Minister said: “I certainly don’t think we should have a budget for it at taxpayers’ expense. In relation to gifts of any sort – there are different sorts of gifts – the rules are the framework. “All MPs get gifts.
The rules then say, over a certain value, you’ve got to declare the gifts, so everybody can see what it was, how much it was, who it came from, and so that you and others can ask questions about it. That’s a good framework. It’s the right framework.
“That’s why I asked my team to make sure we’re complying with the framework, which is why they reached out for advice on what to do in this situation. When they got further advice, they made the declaration. I think it’s really important everybody else follows the rules.
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