Keir Starmer denies ‘farcical’ claims he pretended Lord Alli’s flat was his home

Starmer has been criticised for the televised statement at the height of the pandemic when Britons were advised to work from home.

Critics say it had given the impression that it was from his home when in fact it was from a flat he was lent the use of by Lord Alli.

Starmer told reporters in the margins of the United Nations’ general assembly in New York: “That was just part of a video we were putting out in relation to, I think it was during Covid.

“Anybody who thinks that I was pretending it was my own home, the idea that I've got Union Jacks by my fireplace at home and or that I would invite a bunch of you lot into my living room to have a look around.

“I mean, I think the idea that I was trying to pretend that it was my home is pretty farcical.

“And no I'm not going to be inviting you in to film me in front of my fireplace. I'm very sorry, that's about the last thing I'd do.”

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Starmer defended his acceptance of freebies.

He said: “As I've openly acknowledged, I understand why you ask me questions. I understand why the public has questions about this.

“I think the best thing we can do is to explain the circumstances and be absolutely clear that nothing wrong has been done here. Everybody has complied with all of the rules.

“Sometimes it takes time to go through the individual examples, which may or may not put the context for people to see and make their own judgments. But look, I know why you're asking questions.”