Senior Tory MP confronted over celebration’s report as he assaults PM on freebies

On Sep 22, 2024

A senior Tory MP has been confronted over his own party’s dire record in office as he struggled to launch an assault on Keir Starmer over freebies.

Former Home Office minister Chris Philp attacked the PM for running what he called a government “self-service” amid a row over donations for clothes and tickets.

The Shadow Commons leader highlighted that Mr Starmer had accepted more freebies – a total of over £100k since becoming Labour leader – than any other MP. “And frankly accepting free clothes and luxury designer goods for his wife, frankly strikes me as just a bit weird and to be honest inappropriate as well,” he added.

Mr Philp said he had “been to the odd event” including the Baftas while he was a minister at the Department of Culture and Sport. But during an interview on the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg programme, Mr Philp was also confronted over the Conservative’s dire record.

Former Tory PM Boris Johnson was found last year to have deliberately misled the Commons over the Partygate scandal. He also faced questions during his time in No10 over a luxury villa stay in Mustique with his wife, Carrie, which was funded by a Tory donor.

Chris Philp was tackled on the Tories’ record during a BBC interview

Pressed on whether he was actually in a position to attack the Labour party after the Tories own embarrassments over donations, he said: “Don’t forget I resigned as a minister in Boris Johnson’s government on issues of ethics and integrity so I feel I’ve done my bit towards cleaning up British politics.”

Mr Philp, who later joined Liz Truss’s 49-day government, was then asked whether the Tories had had a significant role in creating cynicism among voters and attacking the integrity of politics. He replied: “Yes I do. That’s one of the reasons why we lost the last election. I think in fairness Rishi Sunak is someone as leader who did show incredible personal integrity.”

It comes after days of criticism over Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria’s decision to accept high-end clothes and glasses from Lord Alli. No10 has now said the PM, Deputy PM Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves will refuse future gifts of this kind.