Keir Starmer scrambles to save reputation as he hands over £6k to cover some freebies

Sir has taken some decisive action to restore his reputation by repaying £6,000 for a series of high-profile gifts received since he became Prime Minister.

The repayment includes six tickets to a concert, four tickets to horse races, and a rental agreement for clothing from a luxury designer.

move comes amid mounting scrutiny regarding the close connections between the government and wealthy donors, particularly after he, – including and – faced backlash for accepting lavish gifts.

Some of his critics have pointed out the apparent contradiction between Starmer’s promises to “clean up” politics and the reality of him accepting freebies.

During a visit to , Sir Keir addressed the issue, saying: “We came in as a government of change, we are now going to bring forward principles for donations.

“We are now going to bring forward principles for donations because, until now, politicians have used their best individual judgment on a case-by-case basis. I think we need some principles of general application.

“So, I took the position that until the principles are in place it was right for me to make those repayments.”

He acknowledged the need for clearer guidelines around gifts and hospitality, which he plans to incorporate into an updated ministerial code.

The leader added that until the new guideline is established, he believed it was appropriate to repay the gifts.

A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed that details of the repayments would be included in the next register of members’ interests.

The gifts in question include four tickets to a Taylor Swift concert, provided by Universal Music Group, valued at £2,800, and tickets to the Doncaster Races costing £1,939.

Additionally, Sir Keir has covered an £839 clothing rental from Canadian designer Edeline Lee, which his wife Lady Victoria recently showed off at London Fashion Week.

The backlash against the Prime Minister has come alongside other controversial decisions, such as cuts to for some pensioners, contributing to a significant decline in his approval ratings.

A recent poll conducted by think-tank More in Common revealed that Starmer’s approval rating has plummeted to -27, a staggering drop of 38 points since July.

For context, former Prime Minister was at -28 when he called the election in May.