Britain’s Keir Starmer repays cost of Taylor Swift tickets after criticism

LONDON - Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer has repaid thousands of pounds worth of gifts from wealthy donors, his office said on Oct 2, following criticism over freebies received by him and other Labour politicians.

Only months after

Mr Starmer and his Labour Party were elected to power,

he and some of his top ministers have come under fire for accepting donations to pay for clothing, host parties, attend concerts and travel overseas.

Mr Starmer’s Downing Street office said he had repaid more than £6,000 (S$10,000) worth of gifts ahead of the publication of a proposed new code for such donations.

“We are now going to bring forward principles for donations, because until now politicians have used their best individual judgment on a case-by-case basis,” Mr Starmer said, when asked about the repayments by reporters during a trip to Brussels.

“So I took the decision that until the principles are in place, it was right for me to make those repayments,” he said.

The £6,000 will cover the cost of six tickets for a Taylor Swift concert, four horse-racing tickets and a clothing rental agreement with a high-end fashion designer.

Under the House of Commons code of conduct, Members of Parliament have to provide information about financial interests which might reasonably be thought to influence their work.

The controversy forced Mr Starmer to say in September

he would not accept any more donations

to pay for his clothing. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Finance Minister Rachel Reeves will also no longer accept them.

Earlier on Oct 2, a parliamentary notice showed there was an ongoing investigation into Mr Waheed Alli, a Labour donor who sits in Parliament’s upper chamber and has donated to Mr Starmer, for alleged non-registration of interests.

Mr Starmer’s registered financial interests show he received several donations from Mr Alli, including multiple pairs of glasses, clothes and accommodation.

Mr Alli is a media entrepreneur and former chairman of online fashion retailer Asos. REUTERS