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

Totally agree.

Politics is treated like football in this country now. People pick a side and defend it through thick and thin when we should be holding ALL MP's to account,

Ok you clearly don’t remember the last Labour government.

It was like this last time too. They were dodgy as fuck. At least with the tories people expect it.

Vicky could hire a designer dress for special occasions.

and trade unions should allow members to decide whether or not to donate to a party.

I believe this happens already, doesn’t it?

Blimey, this is historic! I agree with you.

Also pretty disgusting that he is apparently paying legal advice on what and what not to declare - why not disclose anything that is conceivably a gift.

To a certain extent the clothes etc is a distraction. Political donations are a much more problematic area because that is certainly influencing policy. The Tories did it and Labour do it. There should be a limit on political donations from individuals and companies and trade unions should allow members to decide whether or not to donate to a party.
As George Carlin said, it's a big club and you're not in it.

If you make the public care about wallpaper then you've only turned the same weapon back on yourself for clothing - not you Labour that is

Starmer touting round for someone to buy his underpants is possibly even more distasteful than Johnson scrabbling around to buy his tacky wallpaper.

Yes, but again, attacking Johnson over wallpaper and defending Starmer over clothes and glasses is very unpleasant coming from a party and its supporters that parade their humanitarian and ethical ‘principles’.

Of course she should have outfits for official events.

Not sponsored by private donors though.

Also, whams the fact that she works for the NHS has to do with anything? Does that make her more worthy or anything?

I completely agree. The optics are shocking and I’m bloody furious that they’ve made such a rookie error. They’re relatively wealthy, they really don’t need other people to pay for their clothes. As a staunch Labour voter, I’m astonished anyone is defending this.

Came to say this

It's absolutely fine to be irked by this UNLESS you defended the Boris £840 a roll wallpaper/ £200k of taxpayer cash to his rennovations debacle - then you need to have a word with yourself.

Many just enjoy Keir bashing, in truth.

Her day job is working in the NHS. If she needs outfits for state events she's attending in. her capacity as 'first lady' then I'm OK with that, tbh. I'm sure Sam Cam etc have done the same in the past.

For me, the saddest thing is that he stood there and told the country we’d be poorer and that pain was coming in an austerity budget.

There was no hopeful message for children who live in poverty, or anyone else. It was just that we all had to feel pain now

This. The gifts and passes might have been within the rules but it's not a good look.

Corruption is open and rampant in UK politics as there are no consequences for politicians.

Because funders can give money to politicians for various uses. Clothes and specs don’t seem to be outside the rules. It needs to be declared, and Labour apparently misunderstood the declaration about the PM’s wife (rather than about him as an elected MP and PM). But that doesn’t look to be any great scandal.

As I’ve said upthread, I do agree that the pass for the donor, Lord Alli, is dubious. But the fact of the donation isn’t, IMO.

I feel completely let down by Labour. I thought, wrongly, that they were the party who looks after the sick, vulnerable, disabled and the elderly. It’s sickening to see what they are up to.

Is there a reason why they are unable to buy their own clothes and glasses??

I think she should pay for her clothes however I kind of feel for his wife as she has been thrust into the public eye and that may or may not be a role she welcomes or is used to. So I wouldn't begrudge a few sessions with a stylist to give her some advice on looking good in the international spotlight within her own budget.

No it isn't. There has been no indication this is going to happen. Westminster doesn't even have the power to abolish the 25% Council Tax discount across the whole of the UK.

@Expresscheckout is repeating a baseless rumour. Perhaps they could provide a link to these "reputable media outlets"?

Why isn’t it?

they told us that they’d be different, honourable and with moral scruples 🤣🤣🤣 As many predicted, the only difference is the colour of their flag. I don’t actually enjoy being able to say “I told you so” but so far I’m not seeing anything good from the colour change 😢

Can't disagree. It is a really stupid fuck up that didn't need to happen.

It doesn’t look very good to be telling Joe Public that they have to tighten their belts and be poor, whilst flouncing around in nearly hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of gifts. I find it abhorrent, if you don’t that’s up to you, but clearly it’s not just me who thinks it’s all a massive piss take.

Wtf? Is this happening?