Keir Starmer vows to eliminate rot as he's hit with cronyism row

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden yesterday admitted Labour donor Lord Alli was handed a pass to Downing Street but did not have it just a few weeks later.

Lord Alli handed £500,000 to Labour in 2020 and donated £55,000 to Starmer for clothes, glasses and private office costs.

Fellow donor Ian Corfield also stepped down from his civil service role as director of investment at the Treasury to serve as a ­temporary and unpaid adviser to the Chancellor’s investment summit in October.

GB News last week revealed Brexiteers remain apprehensive about Starmer top aide Sue Gray eyeing up ex-EU negotiator Sir Olly Robbins to replace Simon Case as Cabinet Secretary.

However, the Prime Minister is now discussing the “rot” left in the Downing Street rose garden by recent Tory Prime Ministers.

Writing for The Times, Starmer said: “Under the Conservatives, the rose garden at Downing Street became a symbol of the rot at the heart of their Government.

• Tory hopeful Tom Tugendhat vows to 'bring in the Navy' to tackle small boats - 'Fight it like slavery'
• 'Keir Starmer's speech has a clear indication and those hit by tax hikes are going to squeal'
• Britain just signed an ENORMOUS Brexit trade deal...and MSM are quiet

“It came to represent their disrespect — not just for the office they held, but for the people they were supposed to serve.”

Starmer made reference to ex-No10 chief of staff Dominic Cummings' disastrous rose garden press conference after his trip to Barnard Castle when Covid restrictions were in place.

He also took aim at Boris Johnson after photographs showed the former Prime Minister enjoying cheese and wine with staff at the historic address.

Starmer added: “Rooting out that rot will be long, hard and difficult work. I won’t pretend otherwise.

“But the morning after the riots, I saw how communities came together. I watched with real pride as people spoke out against hatred, cleaned up the mess, and repaired the damage.

“That is what we need to do as a nation now. Work together to fix the foundation for the long term.

“So when parliament returns next week, we will be working to keep those promises I made. We’ll protect taxpayers’ money.

“We’ll reform our planning system to build the new homes we need. We’ll strengthen our border security.

“We’ll crack down on crime. And we’ll give our children the opportunities they need to succeed.”

However, Tory MPs have been left fuming as Starmer prepares to deliver a speech on sleaze in the Downing Street rose garden.

Conservative Chairman Richard Fuller said: “This is nothing but a performative speech to distract the public from the promises Starmer made that he never had any intention of keeping.

“In fewer than 100 days the Labour Party has dumped its ambition of public service and become engulfed in sleaze, handed out bumper payouts to its union paymasters with ‘no strings’ attached and laid the groundwork to harm pensioners and tax working people.”