Starmer pays back £6k worth of gifts and hospitality amid 'donorgate' scandal
Sir Keir Starmer has paid back £6,000 in gifts and hospitality he received since entering Number 10 amid a row over donations
PA
Sir Keir Starmer has paid back £6,000 in gifts and hospitality he received since entering Number 10 amid a row over donations.
Downing Street said the Prime Minister is covering the cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four to the races and a clothing rental agreement with a high-end designer favoured by his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer.
It comes after the Labour leader and other Cabinet members faced weeks of criticism for accepting tens of thousands of pounds worth of freebies from donors.
The Prime Minister - who has promised to "clean up" British politics - has committed to overhauling hospitality rules for ministers to ensure better transparency about what is provided following the outcry.
Sir Keir Starmer has paid back £6,000 in gifts and hospitality he received since entering Number 10 amid a row over donationsPAA Downing Street spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister has commissioned a new set of principles on gifts and hospitality to be published as part of the updated ministerial code.
"Ahead of the publication of the new code, the Prime Minister has paid for several entries on his own register.
"This will appear in the next register of members’ interests."
Gifts paid for by Starmer include four Taylor Swift tickets from Universal Music Group totalling £2,800, two from the Football Association at a cost of £598, and four to Doncaster Races from Arena Racing Corporation at £1,939.
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The Prime Minister has also covered an £839 clothing rental agreement with Edeline Lee, the designer recently worn by his wife to London Fashion Week, along with one hour of hair and makeup.
Starmer also accepted £6,134 in "clothing and personal support" for Lady Starmer in June from Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli, according to the latest register of interests.
The declaration is likely to come under scrutiny after a probe into the peer was launched by Parliament’s standards watchdog over a potential breach of the members’ code of conduct on Wednesday.
An update published on Parliament’s website stated that Lord Alli is being investigated by the Lords’ commissioner for "alleged non-registration of interests leading to potential breaches of paragraphs 14(a) and 17 of the thirteenth edition of the code of conduct".
Keir Starmer said there are security concerns which prevent him from watching from the stands without a large and expensive police presence (stock image)
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The register shows the Prime Minister also took £920 from Tottenham Hotspur stadium for two tickets in September, and £1,000 from Arsenal FC for a game in August.
He has previously defended his decision to accept hospitality in order to attend football matches.
Starmer said there are security concerns which prevent him from watching from the stands without a large and expensive police presence.
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