Starmer son finds a quiet place to study for GCSEs

[justasking111]

Can't berate Starmer for this but think some parents will be aghast.

"PM suggests £20,000 accommodation donation was for 'son to find somewhere for GCSE revision' | Evening Standard" https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/keir-starmer-donation-son-gcse-housing-acoommodation-prime-minister-b1183972.html

Not equivalence, no. But just because the other children did it doesn't make it right. Its not a tribal issue. Labour need to stand up and take responsibility for their own actions. In the words of Sir Keir "it's the right thing to do "

I mean, gifts, freebies, favours from a man who then, purely coincidentally I'm sure, got a pass to No. 10, despite not being a member of the government or of the building's staff, a civil servant or an official special advisor. A pass that suddenly got returned when it became clear that others had got to know about it and that this would get into the media.

The Labour party has never said why he was given the pass nor why it was returned.

In News today too that Starmer broadcast his message during Covid to "Stay at Home" from the same Alli flat when he himself was therefore not ''at home''! But he put up family photos in background to help give right impression!

I’m happy to be picked up on factual mistakes. I made one yesterday, said the woman who developed the Covid vaccine was Kate Gilbert, someone reminded me she was Sarah and I thanked them.

Sarah Jones ( MP ) was asked how accepting 4 free tickets for the Capitol Summertime Ball helped her do her job . She replied saying that she gets offered lots of things , as most MPs do , and on this occasion she accepted the hospitality as it was a fun thing to do and she took her kids . Victoria Derbyshire was like a dog with a bone with her questioning . She may not be the most fluent of interviewers but does not let the Politicians avoid answering the question . Beth Rigby is similar in this respect .

As a balance i read that Kemi Badenoch saw nothing wrong with MPs accepting hospitality and free tickets - as she knows she does it . Her reasoning is that they sometimes have to work odd hours and miss out on things .. Maybe she does not realise that thousands of people work odd and long hours , often overtime without pay , and they also miss out on things - but do not get freebies.

These Politicians just do not seem to appreciate that they are getting these gifts / hospitality for free . As Beth Rigby said to KS today -- do you really get it ??

This seems to be the stock defence now - “I only did it to make my kids happy! You aren’t attacking me, you’re attacking my poor defenceless children, you monsters!”

It’s not only Starmer and Jones who’ve pulled the “but think of my children!” trick. Bridget "birthday girl" Phillipson explaining she only took the Taylor Swift tickets because she wanted to make her daughter happy:

x.com
https://x.com/Dorianlynskey/status/1837969213082030237

Firstly, the Swift tickets were given to her by the owners of Wembley Stadium, the FA, who have an interest against the government financially regulating the sport.

Secondly, she is education secretary. The concerts became such an event I can see an argument (that I disagree with) why the PM and culture secretary would want to show their face (even if there is still a clear conflict of interest), but someone who just wants to take their kid along?

“I was there in the capacity of Education Secretary" is such a weird excuse anyway.

We know. That's the point. It's a bribe. The whole reason why it's shady is precisely because you were enjoying thousands of pounds worth of hospitality in the capacity of being a minister.

They haven't invited you because they think you might honour the crowd with a duet or because they give a about your daughter, have they?

The pass is a red herring. It’s no different to instructing the door staff to let him in at the front door without question. Would you have a problem with that? I imagine it was returned because of the media furore.

They're all over the shop with their excuses

I couldn't say no to my child or whatever was also a farce

The Labour party said that it had been returned weeks before the story appeared in the media.

It's a very fair bet that it was returned because others outside No. 10 got to know about it and the party's PR people, knowing the optics were awful, insisted that it should be.

I repeat, the Labour party has never said why it was given in the first place. That would be difficult anyway. Lord Alli had no position that would have justified giving him a pass.

I suppose they could have said "It saved instructing the door staff to let him in at the front door without question", but on what grounds would either scenario - pass or admittance without question - be correct? That he is a mate of the PM?

The Labour party said that it had been returned weeks before the story appeared in the media.

How does that work? The only way you could possibly have known about its existence is via the media.

There’s a long list of people admitted to No 10, that’s how the door gets opened without anyone having to knock. Alli’s a Labour peer, ie a politician. I imagine James Timpson is on the list too.

Laboursplaining: Labour voters who can’t admit to themselves the left are bent as fuck too, so instead try desperately to explain away hideous behaviour.

The Labour party said that it had been returned weeks before the story appeared in the media.

How does that work? The only way you could possibly have known about its existence is via the media.

The Labour party said, in the media in August, that the pass had been returned weeks beforehand.

Here you go, 25th August, BBC.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c86l7xqzze8o.amp

"Major Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli did have a pass to Number 10 but it was "temporary" and "given back several weeks ago", Downing Street has confirmed to the BBC."

The whole point is why did he have the pass in the first place when he does not work at Number 10. Was it because he had bought his way in. That's the whole issue.

Same problem if he didn't have a physical pass but was just nodded in at the door.

Also that did make me laugh about why the door gets opened without anyone having to knock. As if the gates and the police at the entrance to Downing Street didn't exist.

How do you know about the door opening system anyway, @Blossomtoes

There’s a long list of people admitted to No 10, that’s how the door gets opened without anyone having to knock. Alli’s a Labour peer, ie a politician. I imagine James Timpson is on the list too.

Yes, there will be a list of those expected that day - who don't have a pass, that's why they have to be on the list.

James Timpson is Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation, a member of the government, and will legitimately hold a pass.

Weird question. Of course not. Does that make a difference? I went to a family friend. If my family mixed in different circles the family friend might have been quite a different person. I don't suppose the current PM is mates with my mum's old friend.

I can’t remember. I think someone mentioned it in a podcast once. Can you remember how you discovered everything you know?

The police at the gates obviously have the same list as the one at the door.

Laboursplaining. Same as mansplaining but vastly more patronising.

And still failing to appreciate that ALL of the freebies are hypocritical, whether she 'approves' of them or not.

Kirsty Alstop thinks the value of a penthouse in Covent garden is far higher than the £3500 per week Starmer claimed it to be.

Of course she does, she’s a Tory. 😂

All it takes is some research on accomodation sites.

Short term rental for a property like that starts at £700 a night i.e. £4,900 a week, and heads upwards.

The figure Starmer used is the lowest figure for a long term rental.

The approximately six weeks he said the flat was lent for would be a short term rental.

You don't know much about claiming expenses do you? Benefit in kind? The tax we have to pay on it. Whereas MPs don't.

Try remembering to fill in your mileage sheets when you use your own car. Employees who get a bit of private health care. It's all taxed.

No I'm not and that was one of the libraries they used! Also some community centres around that offer quiet spaces for study and homework.

It also wouldn't have been beyond the wit of Keir's team to have asked somewhere like Senate House to allow his son in to study - mine bought a day pass there at one point around A levels.

Don't be naive. A farmhouse near us hinterlands of North Wales sleeps 11 is £2500 for a week at the end of October. It does have a hot tub though 🤭

Gawd knows what the covent garden place would be on Airbnb