The largest controversy has been surrounding the £32,200 of clothes, £2,485 of glasses and £20,437.28 of accommodation gifted to Keir Starmer by Labour peer Waheed Alli.
Keir Starmer has defended several donations for security reasons, pledged not to accept further clothing gifts, and has also repaid around £6000 since the scandal. Starmer has also insisted that he has followed the rules. Despite this, he faces allegations from The Times to having not declared clothing donations from Waheed Alli to his wife.
"Prime Minister's version of the MP's expenses scandal"
Many have criticised Starmer and MPs for their willingness to accept gifts, with some contrasting the luxuries given to MPs to the lack of support for those struggling during the cost-of-living crisis. For example, the recent Winter Fuel Payment cuts. Westminster correspondent Paris Gourtsoyannis pointed out this disparity in an interview with Starmer; asking the Prime Minister why pensioners should not get help with their heating when he is receiving help with his wardrobe on a salary of £167,000 a year.
But perhaps the real question is not whether the Prime Minister and MPs are entitled to gifts, or even whether they have broken rules on declaring them. Maybe the direction of inquiry needs to be flipped; who are the donors?
"What do these wealthy donors expect in return?"
Genevieve Sandle, writing for the Electoral Reform Society, indicates it may be naïve to believe organisations and individuals are giving them out of the “goodness of their heart”. Sandle poses an interesting question “what do these wealthy donors expect in return?”.
The total gifts declared by MPs can be found via the Register of Members' Financial Interests or through Sky News’ Westminster Accounts project, an easy-to-use online tool. The total amount donated by specific corporations or individuals is harder to see; Heathrow Airport, the Premier League and the Betting and Gaming Council as three of the biggest gift-givers since 2015.
Alistair Graham, former Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, told The Guardian that the “scale of the freebie” needs to be taken into consideration, and suggested that donors may be benefitting from giving large gifts. For example, the Premier League have provided £68,000 worth of giveaways so far this year, whilst simultaneously lobbying to reduce the powers of a new football watchdog.
The Scottish National Party has called for an investigation into what they claim is the "Prime Minister's version of the MP’s expenses scandal”, which revealed an epidemic of MPs "dishonestly claiming" expenses in 2009. The Director of Public Prosecutions at the time of the 2009 scandal - Keir Starmer.
