Three months after being elected on a pledge to restore trust in British politics, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is already dealing with mounting criticism.
The Labour Party leader is under fire for accepting gifts from a wealthy media businessman and facing internal concerns over the significant salary of his senior staff member, Sue Gray.
Starmer, who came into power with a landslide victory on July 4, has found himself denying any impropriety over clothing and eyeglasses provided by Waheed Alli, a well-known media entrepreneur and long-time Labour donor.
The gifts, reported to be worth thousands of pounds, have sparked controversy, with critics questioning the transparency of such donations.
Meanwhile, further tension has emerged among Starmer’s own ranks regarding Sue Gray’s annual salary. Gray, his chief of staff, reportedly earns £170,000 ($225,000), which is higher than the Prime Minister’s pay by approximately £3,000. The salary has led to some unrest, as it sits at the top of the pay bands for political advisers.
Salary Concerns Cause Friction Within Labour Ranks
Gray’s wage was disclosed shortly after the pay bands for political advisers were raised post-election, though the government maintains that politicians had no hand in setting those figures.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds commented on the matter Thursday, September 19, stating, “The pay bands for any official, any adviser, are not set by politicians. There’s an official process that does that.”
In recent days, British media have highlighted growing discontent from anonymous government officials regarding Gray, a former senior civil servant known for her investigation into the infamous COVID-19 “partygate” scandal, which contributed to Boris Johnson’s downfall as prime minister.
Gray’s findings were pivotal in Johnson’s exit, and her subsequent move to join Starmer’s team has fueled accusations from Conservatives that the “partygate” probe was politically biased—a claim she firmly denies.
Starmer’s predicament has been further complicated by the leak of Gray’s salary and revelations surrounding his personal wardrobe donations, humorously dubbed “frockgate” by the press.
Dresses purchased for Starmer’s wife, Victoria, with donations from Waheed Alli, have become a focal point for critics, especially as Starmer missed the four-week deadline to declare these gifts as required by parliamentary rules.
Starmer has defended the delay, explaining that his staff sought clarity on what exactly needed to be declared.
“I’m very consistent with following the rules,” Starmer stated this week, dismissing suggestions that prime ministers should be provided a wardrobe budget and adding that taxpayers should not foot the bill for politicians’ attire.
The level of gifts Starmer has received, valued at over £100,000 since December 2019, has raised concerns, even among his supporters. Some of the donations include Premier League tickets to watch Arsenal, Starmer’s favorite team.
He explained that security concerns prevent him from sitting in the stands at matches, and without accepting hospitality, he would miss out on games altogether.
“I’m a massive Arsenal fan,” Starmer said during a recent trip to Rome. “I can’t go into the stands because of security reasons. Therefore, if I don’t accept a gift of hospitality I can’t go to a game.”
While Starmer maintains that these gifts are within the rules, the controversy surrounding his leadership continues to simmer, casting a shadow over his promise to restore political trust.
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