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Labour minister: Freebies are ‘part of the job’

(Photo by Phil Noble - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Dear oh dear. Things are only getting worse for Sir Keir, as it now transpires that the Prime Minister accepted £40,000 in hospitality gifts, a £4 million donation from a Cayman Islands-registered hedge fund, and regular use of an £18 million penthouse owned by top donor Lord Alli. Alright for some, eh?

It’s been a rough week for the PM as ‘frockgate‘ continues to rumble on, and the scrutiny on Starmer’s acceptance of some rather extravagant donations is only growing. As reported by the Telegraph, not only did the Labour leader accept clothing and glasses from Lord Alli, he also used Alli’s 5,000 square foot home on election night, as well as for strategy meetings and fundraisers. Sir Keir declared £20,400 for ‘accommodation’ from the Labour peer but didn’t quite manage to include the full detail. How curious…

More than that, the Labour Party received its biggest donation from Quadrature Capital, a venture with shares worth millions in fossil fuels and arms manufacturers – and accepted a rather lot of tickets for football matches and gigs.

Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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