Am I alone in finding this so tawdry?

LizzieDrip

Where are these figures available Allsorts?

I think they're in Allsort's head...

Wouldn’t surprise me if most prominent figures get free clothes, especially from companies that want to promote their goods. I’m not condoning it but it is part of an unsavoury media campaign to vilify the PM. They’ve been desperate to find something to pin on him for years. And they’ve finally struck lucky.

It was very lively, as I recall there threads saying completely the opposite daily both discussing policies and some endless ones on personalities ....

Where are these figures available Allsorts?

In opposition it's a lot easier to occupy the high moral ground. Look no further than GN on the run up to the election, we were even reminded to vote, like we somehow needed to be corralled sheep like into the voting booth in case we were too feeble minded to make an informed choice. The new threads were numerous, almost on a daily basis, the dawning of the new age of political integrity we were advised in a blind faith sort of way. The grown ups would be taking over and this new administration was going to listen to the people, be honest and open.

I'll believe it when I see it!

Please don't concern yourself about Keir and him taking gifts,, he and his wife's wardrobes now full, his football matches sorted and fortunately he won’t be let down by his deputy as she’s filled her boots too. Have you read the expenses they have all claimed. It makes Boris and his flat decoration chicken feed, no less than that, like nothing. Don't comment until you have read the figures. These figures are bona fide not like the apparent deficit he says he inherited that cant be found. I think this needs investigation, hope media pressure press for it, the only trouble is K is in the know and a barrister. Its bad enough he seems to dislike pensioners and the young, but someone has to pay the piper.

Im my calculation of Jenricks gifts I deliberately didnt count the gifts for election expenses (grey area because it's a ?)

But over a £100.000 that amount in the 10 weeks since the election but haven't seen anything in the media.

Labour promised to clean up politics as in the manifesto it related to cash for contracts or cash for questions/lobbying.

But this issue has brought up gift freebies and as I say I'm against them.

LizzieDrip

^I think the point is that we expected better of Labour politicians^

Ah ha, the crux of the matter - let’s all hold Labour politicians to a higher standard than Conservatives. We expected such things of the Tories … but not of Labour. Why???

Maybe because for the last fourteen years Labour leaders, MP’s along with their supporters have been continuously condemning the Conservatives for taking, gifts, donations etc.,

Whilst wanging on that Labour are and will be different…

I think the point is that we expected better of Labour politicians

Ah ha, the crux of the matter - let’s all hold Labour politicians to a higher standard than Conservatives. We expected such things of the Tories … but not of Labour. Why???

Rosie51

LizzieDrip

I’m not suggesting Keir Starmer didn’t take gifts. What he did is accepted practice. He did nothing wrong. BUT the media has created the narrative that he is some sort of money grabbing cheapskate!

IMO the only thing he’s done wrong is to ‘give in’ to the media harassment and declare that he won’t accept any more gifts. I wish he’d either ignored the media completely or stuck two metaphorical fingers up to them! He will NEVER please the media … so he should stop trying!

He hasn't said he won't take any more gifts, he's carefully said he won't take for clothing. He is not about to give up his football and concert freebies, and presumably other handouts. Haven't lots of us criticised the Conservatives for all the freebies they accepted, and that includes some prominent Labour people? I voted Labour in the hope that this freeloading was about to end, but no it seems it's now suddenly accepted practice.
Have you always been in favour of all politicians accepting lots of freebies?

Apart from new underpants and socks, he probably has enough new clothing to last him for his tenure as Prime Minister anyway.

I think the point is that we expected better of Labour politicians (why that should be so looking at past history I have no idea) but they seem to be lacking in integrity too.

many have no political affiliations at all eazybee

What! Don’t know what country you’re living in but it ain’t the Uk!

Neither sweeping nor silly. Of course the media in this country is mainly Tory and the Telegraph and the DMail are doing a great pile on, followed closely by the rest. Anyone who thinks otherwise is naive in the extreme.

If the guardian, a Labour supporting newspaper, is critical I can understand why. I am disappointed myself.

As to Jenrick he appears to have accepted donations of nearly £237,000 since April this year.

I've just heard on Radio 4 that he has taken over £300.000 worth of gifts, apparently higher than any other MP for many years.. so much for integrity and transparency..

Afraid I simply do not understand how politicians of any persuasion think it’s ok to accept personal gifts from rich cronies/donors. In what circumstance is this even acceptable? It doesn’t happen with the man/woman in the street.

Can you imagine if a wealthier friend strolled up and offered a significant sum of money for clothes, holidays, hairdos and what have you?

So how can it be justified in politics? Even if declared?

There’s some limited hope on the horizon - the LibDems are hoping to take control of my local county council next May. Quite an interesting situation when the government of the day may meet with opposition at county level? Bring it on …… there’s no opposition in Parliament!

The media is Tory.
What a sweeping, and silly, statement. The media is concerned primarily with following a good story to provide copy; many have no political affiliations at all, having worked up close and personal with politicians of all parties and deeming them to be much the same.
All politicians accept donations, but they are for party finances, not clothing, holidays, personal shoppers (which would be understandable if it had been for A.Rayner), and very expensive tickets for concerts and sport.
You have to accept that Starmer, having posed for so long as the embodiment of virtue while criticising the Tories relentlessly, has done much of which he has accused them, and made an absolute mess of his first months in office.

"The media is Tory it is not in their interests to criticise the conservatives" All the critical articles I've read of Labour recently have been in The Guardian.

It's not tongue in cheek, it's the usual oh look how thick you lot are being suckered in by the right wing media (a media whose influence rather hilariously is pretty minimal nowadays). Whilst they are so intelligent and self righteous that they can see the truth. Missing of course the blindingly obvious truth that this approach alienates everyone.

I am even more disillusioned now than before the GE, which I thought was impossible.

All we have now are different snouts in the same troughs

Consigned to the annals of time are the days when MPs were in the job to better the lives of their constituents and the country as opposed to raising their profiles and fattening their bank balances.

silverlining48

The media is Tory, it’s not in their interests to criticise Conservatives.
Someone up thread mentioned Robert jenrick accepting large donations recently, and there will be many more, but then they woukdnt would they?

Yes, Jenrick has accepted - since the election - close to £100.000 in "Private" donations. Two of £25.000 within 2 days from The Spott Fitness Ltd.

members.parliament.uk/member/4320/registeredinterests

this is why I say - either have a level paying field for critiques, or as I've stated I think right, a ban on them altogether.

LizzieDrip

I’m not suggesting Keir Starmer didn’t take gifts. What he did is accepted practice. He did nothing wrong. BUT the media has created the narrative that he is some sort of money grabbing cheapskate!

IMO the only thing he’s done wrong is to ‘give in’ to the media harassment and declare that he won’t accept any more gifts. I wish he’d either ignored the media completely or stuck two metaphorical fingers up to them! He will NEVER please the media … so he should stop trying!

He hasn't said he won't take any more gifts, he's carefully said he won't take for clothing. He is not about to give up his football and concert freebies, and presumably other handouts. Haven't lots of us criticised the Conservatives for all the freebies they accepted, and that includes some prominent Labour people? I voted Labour in the hope that this freeloading was about to end, but no it seems it's now suddenly accepted practice.
Have you always been in favour of all politicians accepting lots of freebies?

LovesBach

I expected a lot of this man and his government - I now feel disappointed, to put it mildly.

And me , I am just left in what's coming next!🤔

Yes Wyllow - frustrated is correct!

I’m not suggesting Keir Starmer didn’t take gifts. What he did is accepted practice. He did nothing wrong. BUT the media has created the narrative that he is some sort of money grabbing cheapskate!

IMO the only thing he’s done wrong is to ‘give in’ to the media harassment and declare that he won’t accept any more gifts. I wish he’d either ignored the media completely or stuck two metaphorical fingers up to them! He will NEVER please the media … so he should stop trying!

The media is Tory, it’s not in their interests to criticise Conservatives.
Someone up thread mentioned Robert jenrick accepting large donations recently, and there will be many more, but then they woukdnt would they?