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Keir Starmer tells Brussels press conference it was ‘right’ for him to repay £6,000 worth of gifts – as it happened

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Keir Starmer tells Brussels press conference it was ‘right’ for him to repay £6,000 worth of gifts – as it happened

Keir Starmer says it was ‘right’ for him to repay £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality

Starmer said it was “right” for him to repay the donations while new principles for accepting gifts were drawn up.

He told reporters in Brussels:

We came in as a government of change.

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. I think we need some principles of general application.

So, I took the position that until the principles are in place it was right for me to make those repayments.

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Key events

Rachel Hall

Thanks for following the blog today. Here are all the key developments:

  • Sir Keir Starmer paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality he received since entering Number 10 after a row over ministerial donations.

  • The Labour peer Waheed Alli is under investigation by a parliamentary watchdog over a potential breach of the code of conduct. Alli is being investigated after a complaint that he has not registered his interests correctly. He has been thrust into the spotlight recently over tens of thousands of pounds worth of gifts he gave to Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner.

  • Starmer pledged that the UK and European Union would work to strengthen co-operation on the economy and security, as well as to “make Brexit work” after meeting with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

  • The four Conservative leadership candidates set out their visions for the party – consensus from the commentariat was that James Cleverly came out strongest.

We’ll be back tomorrow with all the latest happenings in Westminster.

Starmer has acknowledged there would be “issues which are difficult to resolve” in his talks with the European Union.

Following his meeting with Ursula von der Leyen, he told reporters:

We’re putting our relationship with Europe on a more solid, stable footing.

That’s what the British people want, a return to pragmatic, sensible leadership when it comes to dealing with our closest neighbours, because they know that this matters for growth, for jobs and for security.

The detailed work to take this forward starts now. We’ve agreed to hold regular UK-EU summits at leader level to review progress, starting with a summit in the first half of next year.

Of course, there will be issues which are difficult to resolve and areas on which we will stand firm.

There will be no return to freedom of movement, no return to the customs union, no return to the single market.

ut we will find constructive ways to work together and deliver for the British people.

Starmer said his premiership would mark “a return to doing business in a respectful way” with the European Union.

The Prime Minister told reporters in Brussels:

Tone does matter. Resetting does matter.

That has been a very important part of the message that I have carried into the meeting today.

A return to pragmatism, to doing business in a respectful way and in a way which, I think, will focus on deliverables, rather than charging to the nearest camera to use a megaphone.

He acknowledged there “of course will be challenges along the way” during the process.

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Keir Starmer says it was ‘right’ for him to repay £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality

Starmer said it was “right” for him to repay the donations while new principles for accepting gifts were drawn up.

He told reporters in Brussels:

We came in as a government of change.

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. I think we need some principles of general application.

So, I took the position that until the principles are in place it was right for me to make those repayments.

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David Lammy accepted £2,300 worth of hospitality from Tottenham Hotspur FC to watch the north London derby in September.

According to the latest register of interests, the Foreign Secretary declared the amount for five tickets with the use of a box to watch the game on September 15.

Angela Rayner declared £836 in hospitality as a “visit to (a) DJ booth” after the Deputy Prime Minister was seen partying in Ibiza.

The registration relates to a trip to nightclub Hi Ibiza on the Spanish island, where Rayner was filmed dancing and being cheered on by the crowd over summer.

The name of the donor listed on the latest register of interests is Ayita LLC.

Asked by journalists about EU youth mobility schemes, Starmer said that today was “not a discussion that went into the details at this stage”, but rather about “setting the parameters, setting the tone” and “milestones along the way”.

He said “the emphasis was on what we can do, not what we can’t do”.

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In a press conference, Sir Keir Starmer said he had a “very productive meeting” with Ursula von der Leyen.

He said the pair took part in call with fellow G7 members “where we all condemned Iran’s abhorrent attack on Israel last night”.

They agreed on Israel’s right to defend itself. “We call on all sides to show restraint,” he said.

They stressed the urgency of ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza to allow space for political solutions.

On the UK’s relationship with the EU, he said:

We can do more together.

Promoting growth and prosperity, working together on shared challenges like climate change, energy security and illegal migration and strengthening our shared security and stability. So we’re putting our relationship with Europe on a more solid stable footing. That’s what British people want a return to pragmatic sensible leadership when it come sot dealing with our closest neighbours.

This matters for growth, jobs and security.

He said there would be regular UK-EU summits, strating with a summit in the first half of next year.

But he added: “There will be no return to freedom of movement, the customs union, the single market.”

Liam Conlon, the Labour MP and son of of Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Sue Gray, accepted two tickets to a Taylor Swift concert from the Premier League, according to the latest register of interests.

The MP for Beckenham and Penge declared £1,600 worth in hospitality for the gig at Wembley Stadium, received on August 20.

Asked about the news that Labour peer Waheed Alli is under investigation by a parliamentary watchdog over a potential breach of the code of conduct, a Labour spokesperson has said:

Lord Alli will co-operate fully with the Lords Commissioner and he is confident all interests have been registered.

We cannot comment further while this is ongoing.

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Here is a list of the donations and gifts from Lord Waheed Alli declared by MPs that appear in the latest version of the register of members’ financial interests, which was published on September 2 2024.

The latest register includes all donations and gifts declared in the previous 12 months.

1. Donations

  • 19 October 2023: £10,000 to Sir Keir Starmer (Labour)
    Description in register: “For the private office of the Leader of the Opposition.”

  • 7 November 7 2023: £12,500 to David Lammy (Labour)
    “Towards paying for additional staff for my office.”

  • 16 November 2023: £8,500 to Angela Rayner (Labour)
    “Donation to support me in my capacity as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.”

  • 8 December 8 2023: £10,000 to Bridget Phillipson (Labour)
    “To host a number of events, including on behalf of the Shadow Education Team.”

  • 11 December 2023: £4,000 to Bridget Phillipson
    “To host a number of events, including on behalf of the Shadow Education Team.”

  • 26 February 2024: £6,000 to Sir Keir Starmer
    “For the private office of the Leader of the Opposition.”

  • 15 April 2024: £8,250 to Angela Rayner
    “To support me in my capacity as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.”

  • 26 April 2024: £900 to Angela Rayner
    “To support me in my capacity as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.”

  • 29 July 2024: £3,550 to Angela Rayner
    “Donation in kind for undertaking parliamentary duties.”

  • 2 August 2024: £10,000 to Liam Conlon (Labour)

2. Gifts

  • 22 March 2023 (published in register on December 3 2023): £1,200,000 to Dame Siobhain McDonagh (Labour)
    “Interest free loan to be repaid on the sale of the home I share with a family member. The move was necessary to provide the family member with complete ground floor access.”

  • 24 April 2024: £16,200 to Sir Keir Starmer
    Work clothing

  • 22 May 2024: £2,485 to Sir Keir Starmer
    Multiple pairs of glasses

  • 2 August 2024: £20,437.28 to Sir Keir Starmer
    Accommodation

Sir Keir Starmer pays back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality

Sir Keir Starmer has paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality he received since entering Number 10 after a row over ministerial donations.

The Prime Minister is covering the cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four 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 members – who vowed to “clean up” British politics – faced weeks of criticism for accepting tens of thousands of pounds worth of freebies from wealthy donors.

The Prime Minister has committed to overhauling hospitality rules for ministers to ensure better transparency about what is provided following the backlash.

On Wednesday, 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.

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

Read more here:

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