Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is again under pressure as new details emerge about a £20,000 donation he accepted to cover accommodation costs for his son’s GCSE exams.
The donation, provided by Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli, had initially been listed rather ambiguously in Parliament as “accommodation” and only recently came to light.
When asked about the purpose of the donation, Starmer explained that it was made to ensure his son could study undisturbed during the critical exam period.
“At the beginning of the election, which we didn’t know when it was going to be called, my boy was in the middle of his GCSEs. I made him a promise that he’ll be able to get to his school [and] do his exams without being disturbed.”
Keir Starmer
This revelation adds fuel to the ongoing controversy surrounding Starmer’s record on accepting gifts. The Labour leader has declared a total of £107,000 in gifts since 2019, a figure that is more than two and a half times higher than that of any other MP.
Among the donations was an eye-popping £55,122.28 from Lord Alli, covering a variety of expenses, including work clothing and accommodation, as well as £2,485 for “multiple pairs of glasses.”
Further scrutiny emerged when it was revealed that Lord Alli also footed a £5,000 bill for personal shopper and clothing alteration services for Starmer’s wife, Lady Victoria Starmer, before and after the general election. Although this was not declared within the required 28-day window, Downing Street has confirmed that there will be no formal investigation into the matter.
Starmer Defends Record Amid ‘Silly’ Criticism
In defending his actions, the Prime Minister dismissed the criticism as trivial. “This is silly,” Starmer remarked when questioned about his acceptance of gifts, particularly tickets to various Arsenal football matches.
Over the years, the Labour leader has received hospitality and tickets from several Premier League clubs, including Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United.
The most valuable football-related gift came from the Premier League itself, which offered five tickets with hospitality worth £3,000 for Arsenal’s Champions League victory against Porto in March, where Arsenal triumphed 4-2 after a tense penalty shootout.
Justifying his acceptance of the football freebies, Starmer noted that rejecting the hospitality “would cost the taxpayer more money through extra security,” he said, defending his choice.
Yet, the most extravagant gift received by Starmer thus far has not been football-related. It was four tickets with hospitality to a Taylor Swift concert, a gift valued at £4,000. And it appears Starmer isn’t the only fan of the pop sensation within the Labour Party.
Since coming to power, nine Labour MPs, including health secretary Wes Streeting and education secretary Bridget Phillipson, have also enjoyed Swift’s concerts, with combined gifts totaling £17,102.54.
Phillipson, when asked about her attendance, admitted that it was a difficult offer to turn down, especially given her child’s enthusiasm for the event. “I’ll be honest, it was a hard one to turn down. I appreciate there was big demand for tickets. It was a privilege to be there,” she said.
The Labour leader’s inclination towards receiving gifts extends beyond football and music. Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has received nearly £1,000 worth of theatre tickets since 2023.
Additionally, like Starmer, Reeves accepted a £7,500 gift for clothing while in opposition, a practice she claims will not continue.
As public and political scrutiny grows over the gifts and donations accepted by MPs, Starmer’s attempts to downplay the situation by calling it “silly” might not be enough to quell the storm.
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