Sir Keir Starmer
(Image: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

Sir Keir Starmer pays back more than £6,000 in gifts after donations row

by · Manchester Evening News

Sir Keir Starmer has paid back more than £6,000 in gifts and hospitality he has received since becoming Prime Minister.

The Prime minister will pay for for six Taylor Swift concert tickets, four race day entries, and a clothing rental deal with a luxury designer preferred by his spouse, Lady Victoria Starmer.

It follows criticism of Sir Keir and fellow Cabinet members, who pledged to "clean up" UK politics, after they were scrutinised for accepting lavish freebies from donors.

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In response to the controversy, the Prime Minister has vowed to change the rules on ministerial hospitality to improve transparency over such benefits.

A 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 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 Prime Minister.