PM accepted £20,000 so his boy could study

I wasn’t a big fan of Campbell but my word, he protected Blair. Recently, I’ve found myself saying to that spaniel and her lab companion ‘where’s Alistair Campbell when yiu need him”. This is what happens when you/I live alone other than with fairly clever dogs. Sadly they’re too young to remember the last Labour govt or I’m sure they’d answer

Doodledog

I fully understand the Starmer's desire to keep their family life private, and think they have every right to do so.

I also think that their PR is terrible. People like Cummings, Campbell and Mandelson tend to be disliked and mistrusted, but they stop the opposition from spinning everything in a negative fashion, and ensure that any positives are put forward too. I can't imagine any of those men allowing the WFP withdrawal (a) to happen yet, and (b) to be presented as it was. That was a political disaster. Many people stopped listening to anything else the LP said, and many jumped on the media sloganeering and did their work for them by repeating the name-calling etc.

I can't understand why the LP's Comms team have allowed this to happen. Whoever they are they should be sacked and replaced with people who know what they're doing.

I have to agree that they are being very badly advised. I happened to have The Jeremy Vine show on this morning while I was getting ready to go out and Jeffrey Archer was on, he had verbal diarrhoea as usual but he gave an anecdote about when he was in Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet. He said that she was visiting Russia, they were making sure she looked the part and Aquascutum provided some clothing. Archer said no matter what happens make sure they invoice us for the clothing and make sure the bill is paid. Basically you don’t compromise yourself if you don’t give anybody ammunition. With the amount of flak they are getting they need people with a great deal of experience to advise them. IMO they really need to tweak the decision about the WFA to make it fairer even it means losing face by not sticking to their initial decision.

Jeffrey Archer, speaker of truth !

Doodledog

I fully understand the Starmer's desire to keep their family life private, and think they have every right to do so.

I also think that their PR is terrible. People like Cummings, Campbell and Mandelson tend to be disliked and mistrusted, but they stop the opposition from spinning everything in a negative fashion, and ensure that any positives are put forward too. I can't imagine any of those men allowing the WFP withdrawal (a) to happen yet, and (b) to be presented as it was. That was a political disaster. Many people stopped listening to anything else the LP said, and many jumped on the media sloganeering and did their work for them by repeating the name-calling etc.

I can't understand why the LP's Comms team have allowed this to happen. Whoever they are they should be sacked and replaced with people who know what they're doing.

I agree with you there.

Maddyfour Exactly, well said. What kind of home does Sir Keir live in that his son couldn't be in a room awY from the journalists. Didn't they follow the family to the temporary address.

Oreo

Doodledog

I fully understand the Starmer's desire to keep their family life private, and think they have every right to do so.

I also think that their PR is terrible. People like Cummings, Campbell and Mandelson tend to be disliked and mistrusted, but they stop the opposition from spinning everything in a negative fashion, and ensure that any positives are put forward too. I can't imagine any of those men allowing the WFP withdrawal (a) to happen yet, and (b) to be presented as it was. That was a political disaster. Many people stopped listening to anything else the LP said, and many jumped on the media sloganeering and did their work for them by repeating the name-calling etc.

I can't understand why the LP's Comms team have allowed this to happen. Whoever they are they should be sacked and replaced with people who know what they're doing.

I agree with you there.

Me too.
They're not earning their salaries.

However, perhaps we expected something better from our politicians now, more honesty and integrity, and have had enough of their spin doctors.

I just don't see the problem is any family discuss with the teenager whats best and teenager wants to go and stay for a period with friend for whatever reasons its not our business and not relevant to costing. Storm in a teacup.

Other issues around gifts generally agree with others - best to stop years of custom and practice.

Jane 21.03

So true. Hasn’t it always been about the optics?

Starmer is not getting the rub of the green at the moment and needs to be more like Caesar’s wife - whiter than white.

The latest reveal of another 'concealed' £16,000 for clothes to the PM has given rise to some appalling comments on social media. This relationship with Waheed Alli needs to stop immediately as it is demeaning the role of Prime Minister, never mind what political persuasion. The money should be paid back immediately by those concerned and no more accepted.

Maybe putting the £16,000 down as office expenses was not the brightest decision?

Sue Gray needs to earn her salary, sort out the PR and coms, as so far the optics are abysmal.

I didn’t vote Labour, but I will say again I want this Government to succeed, because if they do not, we are in trouble!

The millionaire Starmer needed help with that?

4allweknow

Maddyfour Exactly, well said. What kind of home does Sir Keir live in that his son couldn't be in a room awY from the journalists. Didn't they follow the family to the temporary address.

The child isn't going to be in the house all the time, he will go to school, attend exams, see friends. Why should he have to face a barrage to enter or exit his own home? Protestors about the Israel/Gaza situation as well as the press.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to have a temporary move if that is better for his children.

What a deliberately misleading title. He didn’t ’accept’ £20k, did he? He accepted the use of accommodation, which is not the same.

The son of a Swedish friend ‘accepted’ 3 months’ worth of free accommodation from us, when he first got a job in London. We wouldn’t have considered charging him, but any paid accommodation would have cost him several grand.
He did try to insist on paying us, BTW, in case anyone’s wondering.

www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1954666/labour-mp-resign-keir-starmer-freebies?int_source=nba

and
www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/rosie-duffield-resigns-labour-criticises-33775687?int_source=mantis_rec_top&int_medium=web&int_campaign=more_like_this_top

Tanjamaltija
What are you saying?

I just saw this in the Guardian when I was looking up something else:
Lord Alli, one of Labour’s biggest fundraisers, hosted a party for other donors in the Downing Street garden after the election, prompting accusations he had used government property for party political reasons.

That was from August and Lord Alli no longer has a pass.

I am disappointed at Sir Keir's apparent lack of judgement as to how all of this might be perceived; I did expect better of him, frankly.