KEIR Starmer has said him paying back more than £6000 worth of gifts and hospitality is not an admission he made a misstep.
The Prime Minister has also said he would not be urging his fellow Cabinet members to hand back their post-election freebies and dodged a question on whether he needed to look at the way politics was funded following the row.
Following a speech on the UK Government’s carbon capture investment plans in Chester, Starmer was asked whether his decision to pay back some donations was an admission he made a mistake and whether he would advise his Cabinet to follow in his footsteps.
He said in response: “No.
“I mean look, we are going to draw up some principles so that everyone can see the basis on which donations et cetera are being accepted.
“We are working on that. Until they are drawn up I decided to repay so that any future activities, of me or anybody else, are in accordance with whatever the new principles are.
“That is my personal decision, I am not saying others should do the same.”
Earlier in the question and answer session, Starmer was asked if he needed to look at the way politics was funded going forward given the attention on the freebies row is not going away.
He replied: “In relation to donations, I’m not sure there’s anything I can add to the very many answers I’ve given in the last week or two.”
The Prime Minister is reimbursing the cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four tickets to the races and a clothing rental agreement with a high-end designer favoured by his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer.
It comes after Starmer and other Cabinet members – who vowed to “clean up” British politics – have faced weeks of criticism for accepting tens of thousands of pounds worth of freebies from wealthy donors.
The row is continuing to bubble away after it was reported on Thursday evening Labour’s commercial team had offered company chiefs a chance to “gain insight” with Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds for £30,000.
Earlier on Friday, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said Labour should not offer companies meetings with ministers in return for cash again.
Asked about his message to his party, Miliband told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “Don’t do it again is my message.”
He also defended his Cabinet colleague Reynolds, telling ITV the minister was “completely unaware of this invitation”, adding: “He is not attending this.”
Miliband also said: “The answer is – whether it is me or Jonathan Reynolds – it is not about paying to have access. That is not what we are about, no.”
He also said Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to repay £6000 worth of donations sends “a signal” and was a “prelude” to introducing new rules on gifts for ministers.
It also emerged earlier this week Labour donor Waheed Alli is under investigation by the House of Lords authorities for allegedly failing to properly declare his business dealings.
Alli was thrust into the spotlight after the party’s election victory because of revelations about his lavish financial support for the Prime Minister and other senior figures, including buying clothes and funding birthday parties.
He has now been placed under investigation by the Lords commissioners for standards for "alleged non-registration of interests".
