UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing scrutiny over his acceptance of clothing and other gifts from a wealthy businessman, as well as the high salary paid to his chief of staff.
In less than three months in office, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has found himself embroiled in a series of controversies, raising questions about his leadership and the integrity of his government.
The first headache came in the form of revelations that Starmer had accepted thousands of pounds worth of clothing and eyeglasses from Waheed Alli, a media entrepreneur and longtime Labour Party donor. The donations included designer suits, shirts, and sunglasses, as well as a pair of Jimmy Choo loafers.
Keir Starmer's 'Headache' over Gifts and Chief of Staff's Salary
Starmer defended the gifts, saying they were declared in accordance with the rules and did not influence his decision-making. However, critics accused him of breaking his promise to restore trust in politics, particularly after the scandals that plagued the previous Conservative government.
Adding to the headache for Starmer was the disclosure that his chief of staff, Sue Gray, was paid 170,000 pounds ($225,000) a year, about 3,000 pounds more than the prime minister's salary. Gray is a former senior civil servant who led the investigation into lockdown-breaching parties in government buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keir Starmer's 'Headache' over Gifts and Chief of Staff's Salary
Gray's findings helped to bring down Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and her subsequent move to work for Starmer led the Conservatives to claim the "partygate" probe was politically biased. However, Gray has denied any wrongdoing.
The Labour Party has accused the Conservatives of whipping up a controversy to tarnish the government. Lawmakers are allowed to accept gifts but must declare donations and extra-parliamentary income within 28 days, a deadline Starmer missed. He blamed the delay on his staff seeking advice on what needed to be declared.
Keir Starmer's 'Headache' over Gifts and Chief of Staff's Salary
Despite the controversy, Starmer insists he is "very consistent with following the rules" and has dismissed suggestions that he should establish a wardrobe budget. He has also downplayed reports of dissent among his staff about Gray and her salary, saying he is "completely in control."
However, the scale of the freebies accepted by Starmer and his wife, Victoria, has perplexed even his supporters. Sky News reported that Starmer has declared "gifts, benefits and hospitality" worth more than 100,000 pounds since December 2019, more than any other lawmaker.
Keir Starmer's 'Headache' over Gifts and Chief of Staff's Salary
The donations include thousands of pounds' worth of tickets for Premier League games involving Starmer's beloved soccer team, Arsenal. After the controversy erupted, the Labour Party said Starmer would no longer accept any more free outfits.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who also accepted donations to pay for clothing, defended the practice, saying it has been a feature of British politics for a long time. She emphasized the importance of transparency and said people could look up the donations and see what they were for.
Labour leaders are hoping that an annual four-day conference, which started on Sunday, will inject some badly needed morale for the party. However, the controversies surrounding gifts and Gray's salary may continue to overshadow the conference and damage Starmer's reputation.
