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

[LargeDeviation]

https://news.sky.com/story/starmer-faces-investigation-over-possible-breach-of-parliamentary-rules-after-labour-donor-pays-for-wifes-clothes-13215216

And Keir Starmer should have paid himself for his 'several pairs of glasses' and £19K worth of work clothes? On top of that there was £20K for accommodation for Sir Keir and another 'similar sum' on 'private office' costs.

Purely by coincidence, it seems the donor was given a Downing Street security pass allowing easy access to the corridors of power without any role in government.

And yes, Carrie and Boris Johnson should have paid for their wallpaper and hampers too, that is just as sleazy.

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, in order to fill the big black hole, which enables him to spend more abroad and on climate change.

And all while his wife was gaining a wardrobe worth tens of thousands of pounds. It’s absolutely sickening.

I agree with a pp that all politicians are the same. In it for only themselves. This government will not do any better than the last. They are frauds.

But the YouTubers aren’t picking the pockets of the elderly. They aren’t raising taxes and making people poorer.

Of course, how else is the boss going to get into his office?

A sweeping statement and certainly not true. We have one, LibDem, who is totally honest and hardworking for his constituents. And yes, I have met him in person.

But Lady Starmer is having her clothes bought by a private donator is she not? How is that 'picking the pockets of the elderly?'

And even if it was coming out of the public purse, it's not just the elderly suffering. EVERY age group has been hit by austerity cuts. I'm a bit fed up of some people not caring about anyone else except the 'elderly' when they are the richest of all the age groups!

Yep, they reckon they are going to fix the state of the country and the fact that people can’t afford to live anymore and/or are too ill to work but how can he possibly understand life from those people’s perspectives when he can expense anything he wants?? They already draw a huge salary. Wankers.

In the last five years, Starmer has accepted £76,000 of freebies including clothes, glasses, sport tickets etc. It has all been declared afaik but it definitely leaves a bad taste. In my last job in the public sector I wasn't allowed to take anything other than token gifts (pens, diary etc).
He's very well paid. It's a terrible look. Especially when we are all being told to expect more pain.

I always think local politics is a good place to look for any wide trends in political outlook and action. There are and have been for many, many decades plenty of Labour, Tory, Lib and no-overall-control councils. There’s plenty of material to show who’s more honest, incorruptible and decent.

I have never seen anything that generally suggests that any party in local government is more ethically attractive than any other.

Wtf? Is this happening?

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.

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

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 😢

Why isn’t it?

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"?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Came to say this

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.

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?

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’.