Starmer 'Pardoned' for Receiving Over 100,000 Euros in Gifts

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has received over 100,000 euros in the form of tickets to sports and musical events, accommodations, and clothing for himself and his wife since he was elected leader of the Labour Party in 2019. The 'Financial Times' was the first to highlight, during the election campaign, that he surpassed other MPs in his fondness for gifts.

Starmer's love for football and his passion for Arsenal prevent him from giving up watching matches. Football clubs, including his favorite, have gifted him tickets. The Prime Minister claims that his security detail prevents him from going to the stadium with his friends as he used to, and that he is invited to watch matches from reserved boxes.

The accounting of the gifts received also includes four tickets to a Taylor Swift concert – for him, his wife, and their teenage children – and two more for a Christmas celebration show. The rest are due to his relationship with a member of the House of Lords, Waheed Alli, recognized as the first public figure to come out as Muslim and gay.

In August, there was an uproar because Lord Alli had a pass to enter 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the Prime Minister. It was known that he was the fundraiser for Starmer's successful campaign, but he should not have access to the heart of a government to which he does not belong. The explanation was that he had also advised on appointment decisions.

Born into a family with roots in India and the Caribbean, Waheed Alli's professional career has spanned multiple sectors. He began in journalism in production and moved into investment banking, where he made his first fortune. He then ventured into television production, hospitality, and the fashion business.

From this sector, he donated money to Starmer for his private office, glasses, and suits. The Prime Minister registered these gifts, but it was revealed that his wife, Victoria Starmer (née Alexander), also received dresses worth 5,000 euros from Baron Alli. The Conservative parliamentary group asked the Commissioner for Standards in Parliament, lawyer Daniel Greenberg, to undertake "a full investigation into this scandal since it is not the first time the Prime Minister has failed to declare donations, disobeying parliamentary rules." However, Greenberg has been satisfied with the assurances about procedures that the Prime Minister would establish to avoid repeating such lapses. Greenberg has dismissed the request for an investigation into Victoria Starmer's dresses.

The British Constitution does not contemplate the figure of a First Lady or First Gentleman, but the Americanization of island politics has turned partners of government leaders into seemingly indispensable companions at party conferences or public events, including state functions. The attire of Margaret Thatcher's husband or those of Theresa May or Liz Truss did not attract the same attention as that of prime ministers' wives.

Starmer had notable income last fiscal year from selling land, but his salary as Prime Minister is around 200,000 euros. Victoria earns about 65,000 euros with her job in the Public Health Service. The media have compared Starmer with his predecessors. Sunak and his wife were multimillionaires disguised as common people to avoid reproach. It is known that donations to Boris Johnson were substantial.