Does Sir Keir Starmer really believe him watching Arsenal is something the taxpayer should ever remotely be on the hook for?

Keir Starmer’s free Arsenal tickets have sparked a row (Image: PA)

That was the implication after the PM defended his decision to accept corporate hospitality from the club since, apparently, it would cost the taxpayer more in security costs for Sir Keir to use his normal seat.

Sorry mate, but in that case, either pay out of your own not inconsiderable pocket (Nigel Farage pays for his security, by the way) or forego what is essentially a hobby entirely, and watch the games and highlights on tv like so much of the hoi polloi.

Personally I have no objection to the PM and his colleagues accepting freebies from rich mates so long as a) they don’t slag off the Tories for doing the same thing, and b) they make it crystal clear there has been no conflict of interest.

These two factors however hang over recent revelations, with Sir Keir also coming under pressure over the fact his chief of staff – Sue Gray – is trousering more cash than the PM.

This throws up the question of whether MPs and PMs are paid too little, and seemingly they are relative to other Western politicians, especially if they feel it is okay to claim the amount of expenses and accept the amount of freebies so many do.

The other issues with paying British politicians so little is firstly incentivising bad faith in government to guarantee cushy jobs once out of office, and secondly discouraging many fine people who cannot afford to take the pay cut.

The same thing has happened at the Criminal Bar for law – in paying so little, all but the wealthiest youngsters can often afford to go into it, discouraging a much deeper pool of talent from entry.

More broadly, does it not feel off for this Labour Party to have so many politicians accepting goodies? It feels doubly off with the austerity measures recently imposed on pensioners and possibly single households in the looming Budget.

Not that Sir Keir and co refusing hospitality tickets and nights in penthouses would cure the national debt but it does still carry the whiff of hypocrisy, especially coming from what is allegedly the party of the working man and woman.

Then there is the entitlement. Again, speaking with BBC Yorkshire political editor James Vincent, Sir Keir said it would cost the taxpayer “a fortune” in security for him to watch Arsenal games from the stands.

He said people would consider it “pretty self-indulgent if I said I’m not going to move from the stands, even if it costs the taxpayer more money”.

True, but it is also self-indulgent to even suggest taxpayers would be on the hook for this. Again, either forego the football entirely or pay out of your own pocket.

If, as Baroness Harman suggests, Sir Keir is not a money-driven kind of guy, then why is he even hinting at this? Just like Boris Johnson and wallpaper-gate – which Labour made a fuss over – this just all feels rather sleazy. And it’s possible that if wallpaper-gate hadn’t been such a focus then, Sir Keir’s Arsenal attendance wouldn’t be such a hot topic now.

But, again, it also calls into question why the Brits make politics so off-putting for all but the wealthiest. In a country with nosebleed house prices, we again find that in modern-day Britain, your future is increasingly determined by parental wealth.

Perhaps the son-of-a-toolmaker feels it is his right to get a few perks. Look, I don’t begrudge him a few freebies, nor do I think this is a sacking or resignation offence. But Sir Keir ought to eat some humble pie at least given the fuss his party kicked up over the Tories doing similar.

Maybe we also take a long hard look at how little we are paying politicians in the first place.

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Labour in crisis as they lose three council seats in voter backlash over winter fuel

Labour has been dealt three huge blows in council elections as voters revolt against the winter fuel payments cut.

The Conservatives gained two council seats from Labour last night, and a third just two nights ago.

In Marine ward, Worthing, the Tories took the seat with a swing of 12% from Labour.

In West End ward, Westminster, the Tories took the seat with a swing of 9.5% from Labour.

Just two days ago in Gedling, a key red wall seat the Tories won in 2019 but lost in July, the Tories took the council ward with a 14.3% swing away from Labour.

Sir Keir took a pounding last night in multiple council by-elections (Image: Getty)

Meanwhile the Lib Dems also benefitted last night from Labour’s growing political troubles, with a huge 27% swing from Labour to them, handing them a council seat in Bromsgrove.

And in Hartlepool, Reform UK came dangerously close to taking a council seat off them, as Labour’s vote fell by 7 points and Mr Farage’s party rocketed up 23.9%.

Last night, left-wing journalist Aaron Bastani observed: “In 3 council by-elections tonight Labour are down -19%, -19% and -29%”

“I’m sure it’s nothing and everything is fine….”

“You suspect lots of good Labour councillors will lose wards next May because Starmer just simply can’t say no to free designer ties and glasses.

“A bizarre and puzzling start to his premiership.”

The Tories gained a Westminster council seat last night (Image: Getty)

Meanwhile the Tories were jubilant about their victories, with 2024 candidate Anthony Boutall rejoicing: “This is a phenomenal result, and it shows the @Conservatives are back in London!”

Fellow 2024 candidate Johnny Luk observed: “This – and several other local by-election results today; point to a noticeable drop in support from Labour.”

“No honeymoon for them.”

Former Tory MP Chris Clarkson added: “Brutal… this dishonest, grasping, arrogant Government is already being seen for what it really is.”

Councillor Aled Thomas said: “It’s been a terrible night for Labour”.

Another X user pointed out that the Tories gained the ward containing Oxford Street from Labour, just days after Sadiq Khan overruled Westminster Council and pushed ahead with pedestrianisation plans for the iconic shopping street.

Author Ben Cobley warned: “Labour has started determinedly losing council by-elections to the despised Tories, in its honeymoon period.”

However Ben Walker of polling aggregator Britain Elects warned that Labour may still be set to luck out come next May’s local elections, as many of them are county seats that haven’t voted since 2021, so Labour could still be set for big gains.

The result in Marine (Worthing) was highlighted by former Jeremy Corbyn advisor Andrew Fisher, who noted: “It’s a ward with a large pensioner population”.

The Labour pounding comes after weeks of Labour rows, including the cuts to Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners, Sue Gray’s salary, and Sir Keir’s ‘passes for glasses’ sleaze row surrounding freebie donations from mega-rich donors.