2024 Labour Party freebies controversy

[5] It was subsequently reported that Starmer had accepted over £107,145 worth of gifts, benefits, and hospitality since the 2019 United Kingdom general election, including tickets to Arsenal F.C.

[10] On Friday 20 September, as the 2024 Labour Party Conference was set to begin, Starmer as well as Reeves and Rayner announced they would no longer accept clothes from donors.

[14] Starmer subsequently admitted to accepting accommodation worth £20,000 from Lord Alli between May and July 2024, stating that the offer was for somewhere his son could study peacefully for his GCSEs.

Gavin Williamson stated that the Labour government has compromised the operational independence of the police, while Andrew Murrison asserted that "the Special Escort Group needs to be used sparingly and not to ferry entertainers around".

[20] The prime minister's office denied that the free tickets were connected to security demands, however admitted that Starmer meeting Swift at the concert could have created a perception of a conflict of interest.

[22] George Eaton of the New Statesman argued on 18 September 2024 that the controversy could not be described as a scandal, as no Parliamentary rules were broken nor was there clear evidence that any improper favour had been sought by those who offered Starmer gifts.

However, Eaton argued that the controversy still posed a political problem for Labour, as it left them facing accusations of hypocrisy and that it risked conflicting with the government's message of budget austerity.

"[26] Daniel Boffey of The Guardian wrote that "the issue of clothing and image has been a central cause" of discomfort for the partners of prime ministers in British history, due to their high profile in the media.

"[30] Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that he was "proud" of people who contributed "their money to our politics," describing it as "a noble pursuit just like giving to charity.

"[31] Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said that he had "no problem" with the acceptance of gifts that can be of "a more personal nature" opining that hard-working politicians were entitled to "a bit of relaxation".

"[35] Former Labour Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell criticised Starmer for accepting the gifts while "talking about tough decisions and painful policies coming and possibly a new wave of austerity," adding that Labour Party founder Keir Hardie attended Parliament in "an ordinary working man’s suit instead of the usual formal dress and he did so because he wanted to make the point that we represent working people.