Starmer took donor’s gifts because there is no taxpayer funding for clothes

[MrsRobinsonsHandprints]

Mind-blowing

It's the blatant arrogance and lack of empathy that disgusts me. I don't really care if one rich fool pays for another's footie ticket. But on the back of claiming to be the party for working people?

He hasn't a bloody clue.

The concern is, what favours are expected as a result of such large 'donations' It's naïve to think that they are given with no expectation!

The justification for this seems to be that leaders must present a certain image on the world stage. How does he think it's perceived internationally, that the British PM is positioning that he can't afford to buy his wife a dress without taking freebies?

I honestly have no sympathy with the argument that public life is expensive - he's not doing this on a universal credit income. A PM needs a few suits, his wife can hire or borrow dresses. Or go to John Lewis and buy one herself! I don't suppose that either of them have nothing to wear!

There's something shameful in letting another man buy you personal items. I certainly wouldn't want a man other than my husband to buy me clothes. If I was PM I'd be embarrassed to be wearing glasses bought by a donor.

And all this after running on a pledge to clean up politics, that the tories were corrupt.

Hypocrite is not a good look, no matter what his suit costs.

Listening to Phillips this morning, the tone is so arrogant and tone deaf. I felt the same

My dad had a senior role in local government and quite often, my mum and dad would get invited to fancy black tie occasions. My mum would hire an evening dress for the occasion because there was no way dad's salary would have stretched to buy multiple fancy outfits. Considering it's now considered cool to rent designer dresses, I don't think Victoria Starmer's only option was to take money off a donor.

Actually, I have now changed my mind on the football front, since our previous prime minister was quite happy to sit in the stands when in the role. I wonder why the security advice has changed...? Surely Starmer is not not more of a target than Sunak...?

Rishi Sunak spotted in stands as Southampton relegated from Premier League | ITV News Meridian

Prince William sits in the stands

In fairness, this PM is in greater peril.

We have to factor in the elevated security risks from OAPs who’ve had their winter fuel assistance stopped. Sir Keir could well be pelted by elderly Arsenal fans with tubes of joint rub, Steradent tablets and copies of Saga Magazine, if they see him in the stands.

@Rummly

If only.... old, harmed & dangerous.

I just don't understand why the Civil Service Code does not apply to all members of the Commons and Lords all those employed in their offices and SPADs etc employed by the political parties. Would make life a lot simpler. Basically no more declarations as you won't be able to accept anything.

😂😂

Also, Sunak was in Southampton which I am sure is safer than Arsenal

😂😂

Apparently they'll no longer be accepting free clothing.

Football tickets not mentioned.

I didn’t realise that Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves had accepted expensive clothes gifts as well.

So at least we know in Rayner’s case that it’s just not true that “The Devil Wears Primark”.

And Rayner appears to have accepted a NY eve holiday in New York, staying in a 2.5 million pound flat with views .

She declared it as £250 per night...

@MrsRobinsonsHandprints

What possible reason could Raynor have for accepting that other than as a big fat perk.

They are disgusting

I could not agree more. And this is a man gearing up to be in power for a decade. He is an entitled, arrogant, out of touch, miscalculating, clueless, corrupt, hypocritical moron. I am starting to think he’ll be lucky to last the term. I wonder what Lord Alli gets in return, besides a pass to No 10, use of government buildings/ spaces to entertain, etc?

Snouts in the trough.

At least half the week away from your family, lots of travelling, anti social hours, regularly working weekends and evenings, constantly in the public gaze, higher risk of being attacked, threatened, or having false allegations made about you, risk of losing your job every few years in a fairly public and humiliating manner - and your staff lose it along with you... constant expectation that you can wave a magic wand when really you can't...

Are you sure you fancy being an MP?

Military, police, NHS, fire service all work unsociable hours, some work away from home, weekend working, night working, risk of (and actually) being attacked

Cry me a river

My husband is regularly away from his family, travelling, working weekends and evenings. Everyone is under threat of being attacked because previous governments lost their grip on law and order and this govt is letting violent prisoners out early. Anyone can have false allegations made against them, although seemingly the stuff people accuse the politicians of doing, invariably turns out to to be true so 🤷‍♀️
Anyone can lose their job - thanks to the mismanagement of Britain (again, see politicians) no one has job security. If they lose theirs publicly, it's often no more than they deserve and it's not like it's their only one - they won't be signing up for unemployment benefit on the Monday morning after the election.
I don't feel that sorry for them tbh.

Just no to the clothes then....but clearly still yes please to all the other freebies!! And it took them a whole week to get to this point. They obviously hoped it would blow over and they could still get free clothes...the cheap hypocrites.

Yep we are supposed to be so impressed that they have made this huge sacrifice

It just gets worse and worse doesn’t it. Reeves and Rayner jostling at the piggy trough too.