After criticism of the Acceptance of expensive clothing and designer glasses from a major donor waives the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in future on such donations. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Finance Minister Rachel Reeves also no longer want to accept donated luxury clothing, as the BBC, Sky News and ITV reported, citing government sources.
As was recently announced, Starmer had received clothes and glasses worth the equivalent of more than 18,500 pounds (22,000 euros) from a wealthy patron of his social democratic Labour Party. The 62-year-old was criticized for not initially declaring the gifts correctly.
Even expensive dresses for Starmer’s wife Victoria from the major donor were not initially declared as donations. This threatened to damage the image of the Prime Minister, who, in contrast to his conservative predecessors such as Boris Johnson, presents himself as a clean man.
Shortly before the start of the Labour annual meeting on Sunday, Starmer wants to put the issue to bed, according to commentators. Deputy Prime Minister Rayner, who declared clothing worth £2,230, and Chancellor Reeves, who has not previously accepted such gifts, also joined in.
Since December 2019, Starmer has accepted gifts worth more than £100,000, more than any other MP. Most recently, he had defended the acceptance of VIP tickets for his favourite London football club Arsenal by saying that this solution would be cheaper for taxpayers. They would have to pay for higher security costs if Starmer were to take normal seats in the stands with several bodyguards, the Prime Minister had argued. (dpa)
