Keir Starmer accepted £76,000 of freebies

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Keir Starmer accepted £76,000 of freebies including tickets to over 20 football games (ft.com)

Sir Keir Starmer accepted £76,000 worth of entertainment, clothes and similar freebies from UK donors since the 2019 general election, more than almost any other MP, according to research by the Financial Times.

It's really not refusing to see any fault. It's wanting to get to the truth. Unfortunately we are so used to the corrupt ways of the previous governments that it's hard to believe they're not all the same.

Really interesting listening to the Today programme this morning and Nick R talking about Sue Grey's salary. Saying how shocked everyone is and how there's concern amongst civil servants that someone is earning more than the PM. What a joke when this has long been the case. I bet Nick R himself earns more than the PM.

The BBC is so biased and that doesn't help.

But that's the whole point. The previous government were so bad, this could have been a real chance to change politics.

But it is just more of the same.

The removal of the WFA should have been in their manifesto.

It really isn't more of the same. KS submitted info about the dresses late. That's a world of difference from all the undeclared gifts to the previous people.

The WFA is a big mistake and I'm disappointed in them not setting the threshold properly (although I'm not against it being means tested at all).

This - and other posts along the same lines - genuinely astound me.
It is a mystery why people who would consider themselves intelligent have such a blind spot when it comes to their idol.
Can you honestly say - hand on heart - that you would have the same attitude if eg Teresa May did this?
The hypocrisy is just amazing, it really is.

Well as long as you would brush the same situation aside if it had been a Tory, fair play.
Would you though?

If a Tory PM had tried to declare a gift too late, and got into trouble, not for lack of declaration/ trying to hide gifts, but for late declaration, then of course I would feel the same.

My issue is how much coverage this is getting compared to so many undeclared gifts and dodgy donations taken by the previous Tory governments. Remember the heated stables, just for a start. And then there's all the jobs for mates who were totally unqualified for the job.

Free gear Keir 😂

Dead cat.

Absolutely I would. Everyone makes mistakes. But I agree with the poster above when they say that the coverage of the Labour Party's actions dwarfs that given to the Tories' peccadilloes when in office. The majority of the British press are hostile to Labour and pro-Tory and it shows.

I personally find it ridiculous that politicians are allowed to accept gifts. I am not allowed to accept presents over a very small token amount in case it could lead to accusations of favouritism. I'm not in a position of power running the country.

I read Starmer's defence of his actions and it annoyed me. Apparently its to save the taxpayer security money that he accepts free hospitality tickets. Frankly I'd far rather the tax payer foot any additional costs politicians incur as a result of their job role than that they become beholden to rich business people or corporations. These gifts are being given for sound business reasons. Companies pay for hospitality because it works.

Apparently its to save the taxpayer security money that he accepts free hospitality tickets.

It’s because the level of security needed can’t be provided in the seat in the stands he’s always had before with his season ticket. For his security detail to be effective he needs to be in a box. All Arsenal is getting from giving a box away is the (questionable) kudos of being the PM’s team.

Well he should be paying for his own seat in the box. He earns enough for that and if security guards need to accompany him the government should pay foe them.

And maybe he can go a bit less often then he used to before he didn't have security and wasn't pm.

He will be making lots of decisions that affect football clubs so yes it is a conflict of interest.

He has season tickets for the stands

Sunak also sat in the box when he visited Southampton FC, I don’t think he owned the box.

It's hard enough to get tickets for matches without seats being taken up by security people

He will be making lots of decisions that affect football clubs so yes it is a conflict of interest.

Will he? When was the last time a PM made a decision specifically affecting football clubs? And how would Arsenal benefit more than any other club?

Regarding football

https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3701

There is no corporation in the country that isn't affected by the government.

This is why I don't think politicians should be able to accept gifts at all unless they are for token amounts or from family members or equivalent personal connections.

In every job I have ever had you can not accept gifts from clients or customers or recruitment agencies etc unless its a small gesture of appreciation. Funnily enough I don't get offered expensive gifts by strangers and acquaintances outside of work. But politicians do all the time. Why do people think that is?

Any costs that a politician has to reasonably incur as a result of their job should be shouldered by the tax payer to avoid people buying access to the PM.

If the PM's spouse needs special clothes for meeting foreign leaders than a clothing allowance should be provided.
Though I personally think that is what the royal family get paid to do and the spouse of the pm isn't paid and shouldn't have to do anything.

If the PM's spouse needs special clothes for meeting foreign leaders than a clothing allowance should be provided.
That's a very good point actually. It does seem these days that leaders' spouses are expected to attend some things, and given they don't get paid for being the equivalent of FLOTUS maybe there should be a clothing allowance.

Though I personally think that is what the royal family get paid to do and the spouse of the pm isn't paid and shouldn't have to do anything.
I can't agree with this one though - the RF aren't paid to attend many of the things the PM has to. Imagine if someone from the RF turned up at a meeting of world leaders (and spouses!).

Holidays are tricky too. The Starmers can hardly rock up to an air bnb. But the worst possible solution is to accept freebies. So if needed the difference in cost required due to security for an annual holiday should be met too.

Blair I think used Berlusconi's villa in Sardinia which is the last thing you want a PM to do for a personal family holiday
I can't remember the details but pretty sure Boris had some questionable holidays as well.

Yes holidays are tricky. Remember Johnson swanning off to holiday with Lebedev without even stopping off at the office to drop his folder of sensitive info?

I mean I think it has to be a voluntary thing the spouse wants to do. But if they decide to represent the country and it is felt they need expensive clothes to make a good impression then better these are paid for by the taxpayer than used by a corporation or individual to seek favour from the PM

It does seem to be an expectation in some situations that the spouse is there these days.

Funny really, I bet if VS wasn't present at certain things there'd be posts about their marriage being on the rocks 😁Although I'm sure nobody expects her to be quite as involved as Carrie was.

Clothing should be paid for by the person wearing it. The Starmers are worth £7 million and can well afford their own clothes or they can rent or borrow them. I don’t want taxpayers’ money spent this way, nor do I want to see donations accepted. I don’t have a problem with British designers lending or giving clothes to showcase their work but that should be the extent of it.

Yeah fair enough @BIossomtoes I guess they're not down to their last gift voucher at Primark!

Difference he has declared more than other MP's.
FFS Sunak avoided paying millions in tax to the state.
76k to dress smartly and go to few football games. FFS get a grip.