Sir Keir Starmer declares gifts and freebies totalling more than £100,000 - the highest of any MP

[TealTraybake]

Perhaps the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire needs his freebies because MPs aren’t paid enough. Or perhaps he’s just the knight commander of the most astonishing hypocrisy.

They’ve only been in 8 odd weeks and have already had some solids have hit the fan. Good going!

You mean the party that didn't want to be like the Tories and wanted to be transparent and trustworthy...

IT IS!!
Stop minimising it. The CS cannot accept gifts. Why should the Government.
The Royals don't make Government policy, so I don't care about them.

It really is.

It really is… whole debacle was discussed at length on Jeremy Vine this morning

This Lord and Master Alli seems to be the current Labour 'pimp' dishing out carrots freebies and donations to all - why? Does he not have people in need to donate to or is it because he obviously has no use for them and won't be able to get anything on return? Never mind, I know why... and our idiotic so-called leaders are accepting it. Oh well, they'll all go down together.

The only gift that's acceptable is a new pair of smart leather shoes for David Lammy (I have a 30 quid Matalan Voucher he could use)

Funny though that those voted for this man expected him to be anything but a grabbing two faced liar. Hope they're pleased with themselves.

😂

More worrying is that Rishi's wife was criticised for wearing designer clothes that she could pay for herself but Starmer's wife gets let off having freebies given to her.

Robert Jenrick has had over 200k of gifts and freebies, so not sure why Kier Starmer tops the list. Besides, it is perfectly allowable if declared, which is what he's done. Maybe his number is high because he does actually declare his gifts, unlike Boris, who only did so when he was caught out.

Surely there are better points to rant about? I didn't vote Labour, but this is really inconsequential.

Not for me it's not. Once again, why is it acceptable for Government Ministers to accept gifts and not the CS?

It makes me feel so much better that, throughout most of my career in the NHS, I couldn't have so much as a biro from a drug rep after regs were tightened to protect against corruption 🙄
It seems odd that a biro with a logo on might have persuaded me to prescribe a particular product when prescribing practice is scrutinised closely and yet big gifts going to those with real power to reward donors is OK as long as declared, even thought it seems it often isn't

Thank you for your service.

No…..she accepted a £1500 break in NYC instead.

No this is not the only thing they got. It is just one that shows how greedy and hypocrite he is. Pretty sure we are on for a wild ride with these con artists.

I heard a piece on the radio about the football freebie. Keir was trying to downplay it and come across as Mr Average Fan on the stands; who went to the match with "my boy".

Just a few weeks ago he was telling us that his DC were off limits. Funny how he can trot them out when it suits him.

It’s a principle. You know the ones Labour driven about. They have none and that is crystal clear.

Why is receiving gifts so bad?

‘ Keir was trying to downplay it and come across as Mr Average Fan on the stands; who went to the match with "my boy".
Just a few weeks ago he was telling us that his DC were off limits. Funny how he can trot them out when it suits him’

Shocked I was. Shocked.

For example, Giftgiver is a weathy businessman looking to get licences for offshore wind farm. Or Givegiver is majorshareholder in drug company looking to get his drugs licensed for use by NHS. Or Gift giver is a housebuilder looking for changes in law on building on greenbelt.

That’s what Tory voters have been doing for years 🤣

Because it creates a sense of obligation to the giver. The government is supposed to be there to 'serve the British people'. We'll never know when their decisions are distorted by serving gift givers instead.

@Harvestfestivalknickers OK, but if they are declared, then any conflicts of interest will be obvious. I can't see how Lady Starmer receiving a free dress to wear for press photos is going to influence policy decisions. It's really not the big deal the right wing press are making it out to be. And it pales in comparison to Tory corruption!

Why can't the Civil Service accept gifts but the Government Ministers can? Civil Servants have to demonstrate impartiality, do we not expect the same from Government?