to believe Lady Starmer should pay for her own clothes and personal stylists?

No, I think most of us think that politicians shouldn't accept bribes. I don't want to be represented at national or international level by anyone who takes bribes, whether they're Con or Lab or anything else. They're all the same - all in it for what they can personally get. It's fucking depressing and I feel old and jaded for thinking that - but nothing I've ever seen in politics persuades me to think differently.

Tip of the iceberg sums it up nicely.

Yawn..
I'd rather get worked up over Covid loans...

I disagree, I thought the clothes were completely appropriate (so did the fashion press) and Me+Em is a highly respected label. Even if you were right, remember the Dolly Parton quote “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap”!

Yes without the donation/gift/freebies, there will be no security pass/any other benefit/reward for the donor. So the former opens the door to the latter. This makes it a transaction via a loophole.

I would be interested to know whether there is a clothing allowance for PM and partner? Surely they can't expect to have to pay for all of the occasion wear they need for all of the events they have to go to? I assumed all of those Me+Em outfits that were on show after the election were on loan to promote an English brand?

The security pass is definitely more of a concern but I think it’s a can of worms the Conservatives will regret opening. Somewhere right now there are journalists searching through records to see exactly who was given access to number 10 in the last decade.

Adding to my list of ‘bent things Labour has done’…

The thing is though, how do you separate the issues?

The security pass is more of an issue for me but if the clothing thing is within the rules then it is. All politicians accept freebies. It’s a pity they weren’t declared on time, that’s inefficient and irritating but if they’re going to ask for four figures to heat their second homes (I wish that things like contributions to MPs energy bills were capped so they had to think carefully before warming themselves at the taxpayers’ expense), they’re going to accept clothes.

I also don’t think the PM’s salary is THAT huge. No, it’s not low but they have a pretty big job and it’s not up at CEO level.

I’m completely happy with a donor providing a “business” wardrobe for them both as long as it’s declared.

They’re under scrutiny, particularly her, by people like oddandelsewhere saying ‘her clothes are inappropriate ( flutter sleeves) and extremely cheap looking.’

The alternative is you only have PMs with massive inherited wealth - or those who marry into it like Rishi Sunak.

Really? Blunket , mandleson both had scandals and got back into favour and that’s just off the top of my head.

Fair enough re: the reputable sources. It is all still rumour though. Nothing concrete.

If Starmer and Reeves did do it, it would be monumentally stupid of them. People in England would lose the 25% discount. Not so the rest of the UK. Wales has already committed to keeping the discount (it is reviewing the Welsh CT system) and I bet Scotland is the same (am assuming it has the discount too). Not sure about NI system.

Which is why I think it is a rumour and won't happen. Let's see what the budget brings.

Sure. But I thought all union members were offered the option of opting out from personal levy for donation to political parties?

If that’s right and it gets repealed by Labour I’ll be the first to come on here and shout about ugly Labour shenanigans.

The issue is more what's in it for the donor? Why spend many thousands dressing his wife even before he was PM? It wasn't advertised so wasn't for his brands (which he doesn't own anymore), so why?

Lord Alli's involvement with the Labour leader has already proved controversial after it emerged he had been given a Downing Street security pass without apparently having a government role.

I'm sure stuff like this has nothing to do with it eh.

Ooh I say! That’s a bit catty.

Mind, if you are going to be the PM’s wife I suppose some style guidance is advisable.

Yep, it appears to be on the table, but obviously we will not know until the budget in October. Labour are evading answering the question, according to a range of news sources (see reputable news links on page 3 of this thread in response to another poster).

@Rummly there are still Labour party affiliated Trade Unions although not all are now.

@Cream carpet , Have her clothes really cost tens of thousands? If so she should get some help choosing. Her clothes are inappropriate ( flutter sleeves) and extremely cheap looking. I thought she must be economising.

Happy to oblige @PandoraSox.

If it were a 'baseless rumour' multiple independent national and local news outlets across the political spectrum would not be discussing it. This will truly be Labour's poll tax moment if they go through with this.

https://news.sky.com/story/prime-minister-sir-keir-starmer-refuses-to-rule-out-axing-single-person-council-tax-discount-13213949

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/single-person-household-council-tax-discount-164540836.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/prime-minister-budget-local-government-association-tv-licences-b2612283.html

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/01/labour-widows-tax-single-person-discount-council-tax/

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/martin-lewis-warns-over-severely-29923671

https://www.yourmoney.com/household-bills/single-person-council-tax-discount-under-threat/

Quite.

Politicians and politics in a nutshell. I still can't believe people believe pre-election campaign and promises.

I remember the last Labour government vividly. And it wasn’t like this.

Exactly.

I expect nothing less, the colour of the tie doesn't change anything.