Keir Starmer’s hypocrisy laid bare as he takes £100k in freebies as sleaze row rumbles on
Sir Keir Starmer has pocketed more freebies than any other political leader in recent times, new research has revealed, pouring more pressure on the Prime Minister amid the ‘passes for glasses’ sleaze row.
Sir Keir has said he can’t watch Arsenal unless his tickets are paid for (Image: Getty)
The PM is under growing pressure after it was revealed his wife accepted over £5,000 in free designer clothes from top Labour donor Lord Alli, something that wasn’t properly declared to Parliament in contravention of the rules.
Sir Keir has also received lavish gifts from Lord Alli, including £12,000 in clothing, use of his house during the election valued at £20,000, and even numerous pairs of designer glasses adding to £2,485.
But wider research by the Guardian has revealed Sir Keir has set a record in accepting free gifts from rich donors over the past few years.
The Labour leader, who earns over £160,000 a year as Prime Minister and has a bespoke pension scheme from his time as Director of Public Prosecutions, has now topped £100,000 in gifts and tickets.
This includes almost 40 sets of free tickets since becoming Labour leader in 2020, including football matches, £4,000 of hospitality at a Taylor Swift concert, and £698-worth of Coldplay tickets.
Sir Keir has insisted he will continue pocketing the freebies, despite mounting anger about him living in luxury while cutting Winter Fuel Payments for impoverished pensioners.
The Prime Minister has also been mocked for claiming that he can only attend football matches if he accepts free box seats, as his security requirements mean he can’t go into the stands.
He argued: “If I don’t accept a gift of hospitality, I can’t go to a game. You could say: ‘Well, bad luck.’ That’s why gifts have to be registered. But, you know, never going to an Arsenal game again because I can’t accept hospitality is pushing it a bit far.”
However plenty of Prime Minister have attended sports matches in stands, including most recently Rishi Sunak at his beloved Southampton, where the then-PM managed to also pay for his own tickets.
Rishi Sunak attended football matches in the stands as Prime Minister (Image: Rishi Sunak X)
The Guardian contrasts Sir Keir’s donations to previous party leaders, including David Cameron whose time as leader of the opposition saw him register less than one tenth the amount of Sir Keir.
From 2005 to 2010, Lord Cameron declared a set of Rugby World Cup tickets, tickets to a Tory donor ball, various hampers and £4,475 of discounted personal training sessions.
Ed Miliband also declared less than £10,000 during his five years leading the Labour Party, including BA flight upgrades worth £5,866 and Paralympic tickets.
The frugal Jeremy Corbyn declared just £900 in Glastonbury tickets across his five years leading Labour.
Even Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak took substantially less, albeit Mr Johnson then accepted thousands in free holidays and other events while in No. 10.
Sir Keir has said there is a “massive difference between declarations and corruption”.
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Starmer in freefall as Labour’s popularity crashes in record time after winter fuel furore
Keir Starmer is facing mounting criticism over multiple policies and scandals (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer’s popularity has plummeted at a record speed amid fury over winter fuel cuts, the early release of criminals and the row over gifts from donors.
New analysis has shown Labour’s approval ratings have dropped below 30% in just 70 days.
No government has ever dropped so sharply in the polls. By comparison, Sir Tony Blair’s Labour lasted 1,104 days before dropping below 30% in 2004.
Lady Starmer has received free clothes (Image: Getty)
Former prime minister Gordon Brown took 1,082 days, Boris Johnson’s Conservative government 762 days and Margaret Thatcher 676.
Sir Keir has faced widespread fury after it emerged he and his wife have received thousands of pounds worth’ of free clothes.
Labour donor Lord Alli gave the eye-watering freebie to Sir Keir’s wife Victoria, as well as paying for a personal shopper.
The Labour peer had already been involved in a sleaze scandal, after it emerged he was handed an access-all-areas pass to No 10 following the General Election.
Campaigners warned pensioner deaths will be even higher than feared after shock research found winter fuel cuts will stop them turning on the heating.
And, in the biggest controversy to engulf the Government so far, nearly two million bill payers say they will keep their radiators off this winter – double the number last year.
More than half blame rising living costs, while a quarter of over-65s who will take the drastic step said it was a result of being stripped of their winter fuel payments.
Research for Uswitch.com found 1.7million households do not intend to turn on their heating this winter – nearly double the 972,000 who said the same last year.
Another million people said they will only switch it on from December to help keep costs down.
The Express crusade to save the payment has been supported by MPs from across the House of Commons.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey insisted during his closing speech to the party’s autumn conference that he will fight the cuts.
And fury erupted after 1,750 prisoners were freed early this month from jails across England and Wales.
Pictures emerged of an inmate being sprayed with bubbly by friends at the prison gates as they were released. Ministers faced accusations that serious career criminals were among those walking free.
It is understood the man was released as part of the policy, which aims to ease prison overcrowding.
