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‘Too little too late’ as Starmer scrambles to pay back £6,000 in donor freebies
Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers his keynote speech to the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, September 24, 2024

PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer was accused of doing “too little too late” today as he scrambled to pay back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality following weeks of bruising criticism over his and ministers’ decisions to accept freebies.

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 of an outfit recently worn by his wife to London Fashion Week, along with one hour of hair and makeup, was also covered by the Prime Minister.

Today business minister Sarah Jones said she is investigating whether she can pay for a ticket to the BBC Proms she was gifted over the summer as a guest of the broadcaster.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray also refused to say whether he will return the cash that paid for his VIP visit to a Premier League football match.

He and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar were treated to free hospitality at Anfield last week for the Liverpool v Bournemouth game.

On Wednesday it emerged that longstanding Labour backer Lord Waheed Alli was under investigation by Parliament’s standards watchdog over an alleged failure to register interests.

Labour has said the peer will “co-operate fully” with the probe and is “confident all interests have been registered.”

A spokeswoman for Momentum said: “Starmer paying back donors is too little too late, especially when his government walks the path of austerity.

“Voters are crying out for real change — not more sleaze.”

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