Freebie fanatic Sir Keir Starmer’s £100k goodies ‘a part of job,’ claims Labour

Freebie fanatic Sir Keir Starmer’s £100,000 worth of goodies is just “part of the job”, a senior Labour minister has claimed.

Jonathan Reynolds insisted the Prime Minister’s free outings at Arsenal football matches and Taylor Swift concerts are “not a perk”. The Business Secretary said he has “no problem” with politicians getting a “chance for a little bit of relaxation” while running the country.

The PM, who has received more gifts and hospitality than any other party leader in recent history, has been dubbed “the king of the freebies” by critics.

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But the minister said: “It’s not a perk of the job, it’s part of the job. People want to engage with decision-makers. They want to ask you to be aware of what they are doing. Again, I think we have the right rules on transparency in relation to that.

“But this is about the job that we do and the need to be engaged with the sectors that we cover.”

The Labour MP claimed he had spent “pretty much every hour” working since becoming a minister in July. He said: “If people get the chance for a little bit of relaxation as part of that, again, I’ve no problem or objection to that.

But voters are overwhelmingly opposed to MPs – who earn £91,346 – accepting freebies, a poll by More in Common found. And just 7% think it is acceptable to take donations for senior ministers’ clothing, while only 8% say donations of hospitality to politicians are acceptable.

Avid Arsenal fan Sir Keir has defended accepting hospitality, including £698 of Coldplay tickets and scores of Gunners matches, by insisting it’s for security reasons as he can’t watch from the stands.

But it has sparked accusations of sleaze and “hypocrisy”. SNP MP Kevin Stewart said: “While many pensioners may face the choice of heating or eating this winter, the Prime Minister is gathering in luxury goods from donors. Designer clothes, fancy specs & posh football tickets have all been scooped up by the PM. Catwalk Keir is Labour’s King of the Freebies.”

The row has continued for days following revelations the PM and his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer, accepted free clothing from Labour donor Lord Waheed Ali. It broke out just days after millions of pensioners had their £300 winter fuel allowance cut.

One member of the government said the freebies “should be banned” and described the situation as “nuts”. Officials are said to be warning the PM that he could be opening himself up to inappropriate lobbying by saying he’ll continue going to football matches.

This is because the future of a football regulator is currently under consideration. Former Tory chancellor George Osborne told the Political Currency podcast there’s a “lot of glee” in Tory circles at the moment that the PM and Labour have “got themselves into this mess”.

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