Keir Starmer dodges fresh questions about why he doesn’t buy his own suits and claims sitting in a posh box at Arsenal SAVES money for taxpayers as the PM is challenged about being Parliament’s ‘king of freebies’ _ Hieuuk
Sir Keir Starmer today dodged fresh questions about why he doesn’t buy his own suits as he was challenged about being Parliament’s ‘king of freebies’.
The Prime Minister faced a gruelling series of local TV interviews amid a fierce row over his acceptance of more than £100,000 of gifts since the 2019 general election.
He is under scrutiny over taking suits and spectacles worth thousands of pounds from Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli, who also gave high-end clothing to Sir Keir’s wife Victoria.
The PM has also been revealed to have accepted a luxury box at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium when he wants to watch his beloved Gunners.
In his broadcast interviews, the Labour premier vowed to continue watching Arsenal from posh seats after being told he can’t sit in the stands with regular fans due to security concerns.
He also claimed that doing so would save taxpayers’ money, but dodged questions about Lord Alli’s funding of his personal wardrobe.
The Prime Minister faced a gruelling series of local TV interviews amid a fierce row over his acceptance of more than £100,000 of gifts since the 2019 general election
Sir Keir Starmer pictured watching Arsenal’s first Premier League game of the season against Wolves last month
Sir Keir is also under scrutiny over taking suits and spectacles worth thousands of pounds from Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli
Speaking to ITV London, Sir Keir described his arrangements for attending Arsenal matches.
‘I’ve had season tickets at Arsenal for a long time now, up in the stands where I’ve gone with my boy and my friends for year after year after year,’ he said.
‘Now I’m Prime Minister, the security advice is that I can’t go to the stands.’
He added that, if he did sit in the stands, it would ‘cost the taxpayer a fortune’ due to the extra security provisions that would be needed.
‘I’ve been offered tickets elsewhere in the ground where it’s more secure,’ the PM continued.
‘We don’t have to use taxpayer money on additional security. And that’s why I’ve taken the decision that I have.
‘I think most people watching this would say, well, fair to think that.’
Asked if he was worried about being viewed as Parliament’s ‘king of the freebies’, Sir Keir replied: ‘Well, now I’ve had the chance to explain the situation, although I think most people would say that that’s a pretty fair argument.
He added: ‘I’ve taken up the offer to sit elsewhere in the stands so I can still see Arsenal play.
‘Because I’ve been going for many, many years to see them on a regular basis, and I intend to continue to do so.’
But, in another interview with BBC Nothern Ireland, Sir Keir swerved uestions about why he doesn’t buy his own suits.
‘The important thing in all of this is that we follow the rules, which is really important to me and make the declarations so that everything is transparent,’ he said.
‘I’m utterly focused day in day out actually on how we make the economy work for everyone, how do we get the health service in the place that we need it.’
Sir Keir faced a fresh backlash today over his registration of £16,200 of ‘work clothing’ donated to him by Lord Alli.
The Financial Times reported that Sir Keir first declared the donation in April in the MPs’ register of interests as ‘any other support’ and described it as ‘private support for the office of the leader of the opposition’.
But Sir Keir later altered his entry in the register and put Lord Alli’s donation under the category of ‘gifts, benefits and hospitality’ and disclosed for the first time that it was ‘work clothing’.
A Tory spokesperson said: ‘The plot continues to thicken with regards to these donations to the PM.
‘Sunlight is always the best form of disinfectant, but these edits suggest the Government is yet to realise that.’
A spokesperson for the PM told the newspaper that Sir Keir was advised to change the record after more information was requested about the nature of the support he had received from Lord Alli, adding there was ‘no suggestion of any wrongdoing’.
This morning, a senior Cabinet minister claimed the PM was ok to take lavish freebies – including posh seats at football matches – because he works hard and deserves ‘a little bit of relaxation’.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said he has ‘no objection’ to the PM receiving more than £100,000 of gifts since the 2019 general election, more than any other MP.
This has seen the PM dubbed ‘Free Gear Keir’ by his critics, with reports today claiming Sir Keir also used Lord Alli’s £18million penthouse during this year’s general election campaign.
On a media round this morning, Mr Reynolds tried to play down the row, saying that ministers work very hard and were entitled to take some time off with their families.
He told Times Radio: ‘I can tell you having been a secretary of state for two months, pretty much every working hour of it is spent working.
‘And if people get the chance for a little bit of relaxation as part of that, again, I’ve no problem or objection to that.’
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds claimed the PM was ok to take freebies – including posh seats at football matches – because he works hard and deserves ‘a little bit of relaxation’
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And speaking to Sky News, Mr Reynolds added: ‘I think anyone who’s doing a job of the pressure, of the scale, of the importance, that the Prime Minister does, spends pretty much every bit of their waking life working on it, and if they’ve got the chance for a little bit of time with family or something that’s important to them, in this case lifelong support for a football team, again, I don’t think that’s a problem. I don’t think people object to that.’
New analysis showed the PM received two and a half times more gifts and hospitality than the next MP, including tickets to watch Arsenal.
The PM, who is an ardent Gunners fan, was revealed by ITV News to have been offered box seats, for use by him, his family and his security guards.
Prices vary for boxes at the Emirates Stadium but they often cost more than £10,000 a game.
Sir Keir was already being dubbed ‘Sir Freebie’ for accepting gifts and tickets worth more than £107,000 since December 2019.
But the true extent of the benefits to him has come with a league table, compiled by Sky News‘ Westminster Accounts project.
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The next highest in the rankings below Sir Keir is Commons Leaders Lucy Powell on £40,289, according to the analysis that excludes those who received help with legal fees.
One member of the Government branded the revelation ‘nuts’ and said freebies ‘should be banned’.
Sir Keir was allegedly warned while in opposition by some of his senior team that his willingness to accept gifts could cause him political damage – but he ignored them and said it was within the rules.
Some among the Labour ranks are said to be incandescent that the row over donations has dragged on for days – and they blame a lack of political grip on the Downing Street operation, heaping fresh pressure on chief of staff Sue Gray with private calls for her to be sacked.
Officials are also said to be warning that the PM could be at risk of inappropriate lobbying by signalling he will continue to accept football tickets.
The Government is proposing the creation of a regulator with power to oversee clubs in England’s top five leagues.
Lucy Powell, Leader of the House of Commons, got the second most freebies behind the PM. She has claimed £40,289 in gifts since since the 2019 general election
The Tories claimed last night it was ‘clear the only people who won’t suffer from Labour’s damage to the country are the Starmers and Sir Freebie’s top team’.
A party source added: ‘Whilst they’re living a life of luxury at the expense of others, they’re taking vital measures away from millions of pensioners.
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‘We hope Starmer will remember those choosing between heating and eating as he sits in his free box at the football.’
The PM this week said: ‘I’m a massive Arsenal fan. I can’t go into the stands because of security reasons.
‘Therefore, if I don’t accept a gift of hospitality, I can’t go to a game. But never going to an Arsenal game again because I can’t accept hospitality is pushing it a bit far.’
Sir Keir has previously declared thousands of pounds of gifts from clubs, including £2,500 of tickets and hospitality from Tottenham Hotspur for an Arsenal match.
The latest revelations follow details of gifts to his wife Victoria from Lord Alli.
The Labour donor and former Asos boss has given Sir Keir suits and spectacles worth £18,000 as well as around £5,000 worth of high-end clothes to Lady Starmer.
Labour donor Lord Alli gifted around £5,000 worth of high-end clothes to Lady Starmer
Victoria Starmer (right) is often praised for her high-fashion looks
The Labour peer also handed £14,000 to Bridget Phillipson, now Education Secretary, so she could ‘host a number of events’ – shortly before she staged a 40th birthday party.
He also gave Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner the use of a flat in New York worth £1,250 at New Year.
Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden defended Sir Keir, saying: ‘This is not somebody who thinks that somehow the rules don’t apply to them…He is a person of enormous integrity, and that will be reflected in the way that he operates.’
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