Starmer repays more than £6k in gifts since becoming PM

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality, following a backlash over donations.

The prime minister is covering the cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four tickets to the races and a clothing rental agreement with a high-end designer favoured by his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer.

It comes after Sir Keir and other cabinet ministers have faced weeks of criticism for accepting freebies from wealthy donors.

Sir Keir has committed to tightening the rules around ministerial hospitality to improve transparency.

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.”

The gifts Starmer has paid for include four Taylor Swift tickets from Universal Music Group worth £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.

Sir Keir has also accepted a further £6,134 in “clothing and personal support” for Lady Starmer in June, from Labour donor Lord Alli, according to the latest register of interests published on Wednesday.

It comes as Parliament’s standards watchdog said the peer was being investigated over allegedly failing to register interests.

The Lords’ commissioner is looking at an “alleged non-registration of interests” by the former media executive.