Keir Starmer has received more than £100,000 worth of gifts and freebies (Picture: Getty)
The Prime Minister has received more gifts and freebies than any other MP since he became Labour leader, it’s been revealed.
A Sky News investigation found Sir Keir Starmer received two-and-a-half times more gifts and hospitality than the MP in second place, according to their research which tracks how money flows through the UK political system.
Since he became leader of the Labour party in December 2019, he has received £107,145 in gifts, benefits and hospitality – one of the categories in the parliamentary register of MP interests.
The MP in second place is Commons leader Lucy Powell, who received just over £40,289 worth of freebies, followed by Tory Greg Smith in third place who received £32,509 worth of gifts.
One member of the government called the situation ‘nuts’ and said the freebies ‘should be banned’.
And concerns have been raised that Starmer could be opening himself up to inappropriate lobbying if he keeps accepting football tickets and hospitality from Arsenal.
The Premier League, which is lobbying against a football regulator at the moment, is one of the biggest donors of hospitality. Starmer has received almost £40,000 in tickets overall since December 2019.
The PM defended his right to continue to take football freebies earlier this week, saying: ‘If I don’t accept a gift of hospitality, I can’t go to a game.
‘Never going to an Arsenal game again because I can’t accept hospitality is pushing it a bit far.’
Keir Starmer’s gifts declared since December 2019
The Football Association Premier League – £12,588
Crownhawk Properties – £4,500
The Jockey Club – £3,176
Tottenham Hotspur Football & Athletic Co – £3,033
Arena Racing Corporation – £3,024
Morgan’s Hotel Ltd – £3,000
Crystal Palace Football Club – £2,862
Trust Reservations – £2,774
Manchester United Football Club – £2,690
Cain International UK Services Ltd – £2,400
West Ham Football Club – £2,000
Swansea City AFC – £2,000
Saracens Ltd – £1,800
Global Media and Entertainment Ltd – £1,800
Jonathan Goldstein – £1,650
Getir UK – £1,600
The Football Association – £1,580
Tim Benson – £1,500
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club – £1,488
Watford Football Club – £1,416
Arsenal Football Club – £1,080
Teescraft Engineering Ltd – £1,000
Matthew Moulding – £937
Norwich City Football Club – £820
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – £773
All England Lawn Tennis Club – £740
Just Eat – £714
Mulalley & Co Ltd – £700
SJM Concerts – £698
The Rugby Football League – £618
Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club – £500
The Royal Parks Ltd – £479
Commonwealth Games Federation – £450
Practico Ltd – £385
National Theatre – £358
Edwyn Collins – £350
Most of Starmer’s gifts and hospitality – £86,708 of the £107,145 – were accepted in the last parliament, but £20,437 was declared in this parliament for accommodation that straddles the two periods, the Sky News analysis shows.
The biggest donor of gifts and hospitality is Labour peer Waheed Alli, who gave the equivalent of £39,122.
These donations included an unspecified donation of accommodation worth £20,437, ‘work clothing’ worth £16,200, and multiple pairs of glasses equivalent to £2,485.
Sky News asked Number 10 whether football donations were a conflict of interest and about the pre-election discussions about the appropriateness of accepting hospitality.
They also asked for comment on the fact Starmer is top of the table for gifts and hospitality, excluding legal donations.
They did not comment.
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