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Daily Record
Politics
Peter Davidson

Labour leader Keir Starmer being probed over possible breaches of MP rules

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over potential breaches of rules on earnings and gifts, the parliamentary website shows.

According to the body's website, the MP for Holborn and St Pancras is being probed under two sections of the MPs' rules of conduct on registering interests.

The first matter under investigation is stated as: "Registration of interests under Category 1 of the Guide to the Rules (Employment and earnings)."

And the second: "Registration of interests under Category 3 of the Guide to the Rules (Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources)."

Starmer has insisted he is confident he has not broken the MPs' code of conduct, saying "there's no problem here".

During a visit to Wakefield, he told broadcasters the allegations were not a surprise, adding: "My office is dealing with it and will be replying in due course."

Asked if he was sure he had done nothing wrong, he said: "Absolutely confident, there's no problem here."

A Labour source told the PA news agency that the investigation centres on a number of slightly late declarations.

The matters relate to the section of the MPs' code which states: "Members shall fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests in the Register of Members' Financial Interests.

"They shall always be open and frank in drawing attention to any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its committees, and in any communications with ministers, members, public officials or public office holders."

The nature of the alleged breaches is not yet clear.

The rules on employment and earnings say that MPs must register payments of more than £100 which they receive for work outside the Commons.

Under the section on gifts and hospitality, they must register benefits worth more than £300, or multiple benefits from the same source if they exceed that value in a calendar year.

The register shows that, as of the end of May, Sir Keir had registered earnings of £17,598.60 for legal advice given before 2020, the year in which he became the Opposition leader.

It shows the lawyer received the sum on August 24 last year for around 70 hours of work, before registering it seven days later.

Two copyright payments for books written before his election to Parliament in the London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras are also included, as is a £18,450 advance from publisher HarperCollins for a book he is writing.

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