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PM accepted £20,000 so his boy could study

(267 Posts)
pably15 Wed 25-Sept-24 10:40:45

Sky news today,,PM has accepted £20.000 so his boy could study for his GCSE exams in peace, without all the journalists at his door, someone offered him accomodation so he could do just that...

lamusica Thu 26-Sept-24 13:17:32

He doesn’t have a second home. Unlike a lot of them.
But I have to say I’m generally disappointed in him so far. Especially over the cold weather payments. There are so many of us in our eighties, born during WW2, so not BabyBoomers, who are Just Managing and don’t want to go down the Pension Credit route if we can avoid it. And trying to get it would take so much time and energy which a lot of us don’t have. The initial application form has 243 questions for starters

Doodledog Thu 26-Sept-24 13:14:18

Heliotrope

Can anyone explain to me why Labour historically against wealth and all its trappings are best mates with Lord Alli and all benefits that go with that friendship, or is it entirely different when they are on the receiving end of this largesse.
As George Orwell said, All animals are born equal, but some are more equal than others, it will ever be thus as human nature /people demand this.

Your post is a total contradiction. Labour is not historically against wealth - it is against some people hoarding wealth at the expense of others.

As a party (which is, of course, made up of individuals) it recognises that people are not born equal, and that aspiration and hard work are drivers for many.

Have you read the Manifesto?
labour.org.uk/updates/stories/labour-manifesto-2024-sign-up/

LizzieDrip Thu 26-Sept-24 13:06:58

Most of us don’t have the option to move somewhere quieter whilst our kids study

I repeat my earlier post … most of us don’t have hoards of journalists and protesters clambering outside our homes while our child is studying for his GCSEs.

If you were facing that situation Cambia wouldn’t you do anything to support your child? I know I would!

undines Thu 26-Sept-24 13:03:02

If Johnson had done this it would, I am sure, have been condemned by many on this site. Johnson of course did far worse, but Chairman Starmer is just getting going.
'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.'

LizzieDrip Thu 26-Sept-24 13:01:16

were found out in accepting freebies worth thousands

Rubbish yellowfox! There was no ‘finding out’ - every donation has been correctly registered according to parliamentary rules … freely available for all to see.

Dillonsgranma Thu 26-Sept-24 13:00:47

My opinion of Keir starmer could not be printed ! One rule for them and another rule for us

Heliotrope Thu 26-Sept-24 13:00:31

Can anyone explain to me why Labour historically against wealth and all its trappings are best mates with Lord Alli and all benefits that go with that friendship, or is it entirely different when they are on the receiving end of this largesse.
As George Orwell said, All animals are born equal, but some are more equal than others, it will ever be thus as human nature /people demand this.

MissAdventure Thu 26-Sept-24 12:55:48

No, but that doesn't mean those that have, shouldn't.
I inhabit a totally different world than a lot of people on gransnet.

That doesnt mean they arent allowed to have holidays, pay school fees, buy their children cars, houses, or whatever.

As a grown up, I realise that.

Cambia Thu 26-Sept-24 12:52:26

It would just be so nice if all politicians from all parties could demonstrate how to live within their means, without loans, freebies or extra expenses as the rest of us do. It is similar to restricting alcohol etc and then subsidising it in the House of Commons. Just so many double standards in all parties.

Most of us don’t have the option to move somewhere quieter whilst our kids study!

MissAdventure Thu 26-Sept-24 12:47:49

He's under no obligation to find an excuse, because he has done nothing wrong.
Morally questionable,but mps have always accepted gifts and donations.

yellowfox Thu 26-Sept-24 12:44:28

I don't believe a word of it. He now has to find an excuse for accepting a free gift because he, along with his cohorts were found out in accepting freebies worth thousands.
At this particular moment when their first attack has been on the pensioners who cannot retaliate it does not look good for him so he has to cover himself.
Just shows his lack of understanding of how people really live in this country.

growstuff Thu 26-Sept-24 12:19:51

GrannyBettie

He wasn't. His son (Starmer) studied in said house and the value that was put on that was £20K, which seems arbitrary but ........ In effect a person let another person's son use his accommodation so the son could study as home was too noisy. I am not trying to defend Starmer but is this really a story?

I agree with you. No money changed hands and presumably the press didn't know the address where they were staying, so couldn't harass them and nobody knew where to send death threats (not the kind of pressure which "ordinary" teenagers usually experience).

There are far bigger stories.

growstuff Thu 26-Sept-24 12:15:38

Lesley60

I voted Labour hoping that it was the party for ordinary working people but unfortunately it hasn’t taken long for all the corrupt actions to come to the surface, is there any political party that is clean of these ideas of being in it for what they can get out of it
I understand that it was hard for his son to study in that environment but couldn’t he go around his grans to do it like most kids would

Keir Starmer's father is dead and his mother is disabled. Victoria Starmer's mother is dead. I don't know where her father lives.

Most ordinary children don't have the press camping out on their doorstep.

Leavesden Thu 26-Sept-24 12:14:17

I’m afraid most mps are in it for the power and freebies they can get out of it, they have no idea how the average family live.

NotSpaghetti Thu 26-Sept-24 12:10:54

I may be wrong but thought this was before The move yo no. 10 (or is it 11?).

I thought this was largely during the campaign period?

MissAdventure Thu 26-Sept-24 12:07:22

Why would he?
Would that make him ordinary?

Dickens Thu 26-Sept-24 12:05:42

Anniebach

Quote Allira Thu 26-Sep-24 10:42:44
MissAdventure
Oh...
That is a recurring nightmare for me.
Being asked to look after Fluffy and Tiddles while someone is away, and finding out, once I'm in the house with them, that they are lions.
Worse still is looking after someone's cat when they away on holiday and the worst happens.
One dead moggy to dispose of.

Worse still, looking after the pet hamster of your daughter class
room for school holidays, hamster dies, cannot be replaced
because he is a three legged hamster

Worse still, looking after the pet hamster of your daughter class room for school holidays, hamster dies, cannot be replaced because he is a three legged hamster

... there's a solution to that problem, but it's not very nice...
shock

Lesley60 Thu 26-Sept-24 12:00:02

I voted Labour hoping that it was the party for ordinary working people but unfortunately it hasn’t taken long for all the corrupt actions to come to the surface, is there any political party that is clean of these ideas of being in it for what they can get out of it
I understand that it was hard for his son to study in that environment but couldn’t he go around his grans to do it like most kids would

MissAdventure Thu 26-Sept-24 11:57:12

Yes, so he still has 12,000 odd to go before reaching Boris' level.

Tanjamaltija Thu 26-Sept-24 11:56:02

Actually... www.ft.com/content/0c99a9b0-59c6-49be-9faf-194bd981b62c

Keir Starmer accepted £76,000 of freebies including tickets to over 20 football games
Commons register of interests shows Labour leader’s declarations in last parliament spanned concerts to clothing

Anniebach Thu 26-Sept-24 11:53:54

Did you not know that hamsters are related to salamanders and their legs miraculously regrow?

No I didn’t know Allira thank you

Allira Thu 26-Sept-24 11:40:49

maddyfour

foxie48

"How many people not in Government or on official government business have a pass to No 10 Downing Street?"

We have absolutely no idea how many people over the years have been given a temporary pass. We do know Lord Alli had one (authorised by Sue Gray) as he was organising an event to thank LP donors for their donations and it had been returned weeks ago, there is absolutely no evidence the temporary pass was in any way linked to his generosity to Starmer or others.

This unfortunately smacks of cronyism and no doubt both parties misuse use these facilities, although I’ve never heard of this before. Parties to thank political donors and party workers do not need to take place in number 10. There are plenty of other places available where political ‘thank you’ parties can be held. It is unnecessary to use number 10 for this purpose, whichever party is in power.

There's Chequers for a start

maddyfour Thu 26-Sept-24 11:39:01

foxie48

"How many people not in Government or on official government business have a pass to No 10 Downing Street?"

We have absolutely no idea how many people over the years have been given a temporary pass. We do know Lord Alli had one (authorised by Sue Gray) as he was organising an event to thank LP donors for their donations and it had been returned weeks ago, there is absolutely no evidence the temporary pass was in any way linked to his generosity to Starmer or others.

This unfortunately smacks of cronyism and no doubt both parties misuse use these facilities, although I’ve never heard of this before. Parties to thank political donors and party workers do not need to take place in number 10. There are plenty of other places available where political ‘thank you’ parties can be held. It is unnecessary to use number 10 for this purpose, whichever party is in power.

Allira Thu 26-Sept-24 11:32:16

maddyfour

If it’s not unusual to give passes to people for number 10, temporarily or otherwise, it raises issues of security. Well to my mind anyway, so if Lord Alli was already security checked it tends to suggest that he, and possibly others, are in an extremely privileged position. This applies whichever colour of government is in power. It also raises issues of why unelected people are given such privileges and what influence they are exerting over the government. As I said, this applies whichever party is in power, and perhaps it’s a good thing that a light is now being shone on it.

That brought to mind Carole Caplin although having access to the PM's home is rather different from access to the business part of No 10.

I could do with seeing her myself (GP not a bit interested).

maddyfour Thu 26-Sept-24 11:28:54

If it’s not unusual to give passes to people for number 10, temporarily or otherwise, it raises issues of security. Well to my mind anyway, so if Lord Alli was already security checked it tends to suggest that he, and possibly others, are in an extremely privileged position. This applies whichever colour of government is in power. It also raises issues of why unelected people are given such privileges and what influence they are exerting over the government. As I said, this applies whichever party is in power, and perhaps it’s a good thing that a light is now being shone on it.