Keir Starmer has paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts – including Taylor Swift tickets and a clothing deal for his wife – as top donor Lord Alli is probed by the Parliamentary watchdog for “non-registration of interests”. The Mail has more.
The PM is covering the cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four tickets to the races and a rental agreement with a high-end designer favoured by Lady Victoria Starmer.
It comes after he was dubbed “Free Gear Keir” over his frequent acceptance of lavish gifts and hospitality, which he has continued since entering Downing Street in July.
Following a backlash, the PM has committed to overhauling rules for ministers to ensure better transparency about what is provided.
His announcement that he is paying back some of his gifts coincided with the publication of an update to the MPs’ register of interests.
It also came shortly after it was disclosed that one of his top donors, Lord Waheed Alli, is being probed by a House of Lords watchdog over “alleged non-registration of interests”.
The House of Lords Commissioners for Standards said the millionaire businessman was being investigated over possible breaches of Peers’ code of conduct.
But it is understood the probe does not relate to donations and instead is a “clerical element” of already declared interests.
Gifts paid for by Sir Keir 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.
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, was also covered by the PM.
Sir Keir this afternoon said it was “right” for him to repay the donations while new principles for accepting gifts were drawn up.
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