Am I alone in finding this so tawdry?

I think quite a lot of Labour Party members will put the view that a break with the past has to be made on freebies as the L party conference starts tomorrow and applaud this. Politicians generally have to move away from the years old public complaint "they're all the same".....

The media will do everything in its (considerable) power to bring down Keir Starmer and the LP. Congratulations to all Grans Netters who have been sucked into the media trap. With the entire media propaganda machine against them, the LP will probably not win the next election so, IMO, Starmer should now throw caution to the wind and be brave - take us back into the EU; tax the wealthy; pump money into the NHS; take money from energy giant shareholders; welcome immigrants.

Be a radical socialist Keir, then for 5 years at least, some of us will live in the country that we want. After that, the Tories will be back in power and those currently moaning about freebies will have what they wish for.

He was on local tv the other night promising the north east he hasn’t forgotten about us. However it does seem that way saddened that I thought he could help this area which struggles on its own. Time will tell.

LizzieDrip I haven't been sucked into any 'trap' - I have read the news, and there appears to be no dispute about what has happened. KS has not denied that he and his wife have been dressed using another person's money. I am not 'moaning about freebies' - I simply find it degrading - don't you?

No, just wrong - one made by any MP cashing in on the gifts angle and still doing so (but just not in the right wing media headlamps)

Wyllow3

RosiesMaw2

Hear, hear.
I had had hopes of Starmer as a man of principle after all the shenanigans at No 10 under the Tories.
There are other freebies that need to bite the dust too - while Leader of the Opposition he argued that reasons of security necessitated the (freeby) Arsenal hospitality box. Sunak, PM at the time was photographed in the stands along with the hoi polloi . Come on, what does this say to the decent working people who form (or used to) the spine of the Labour movement?
Did it all go south with Tony Blair?

Sunak was actually in the mood Hospitality Stand when "caught on camera"

www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/rishi-sunak-southampton-plymouth-championship-31770672

This was the pic I was referring to, I stand corrected in the other instance

LizzieDrip are you saying Starmer hasn't accepted all these freebies, that the media are lying?
As for take us back into the EU, what makes you think its guaranteed all 27 countries would vote yes to having the UK back in? We were refused entry for enough years before finally joining. I wish we'd never left, I voted remain, but appreciate rejoining will not be easy, and likely won't happen in my lifetime.

No I don’t find it degrading.

During the 5 years that he was leader of the opposition (2019 - 2024) Keir Starmer took ‘gifts & donations’ totalling approx £100,000. The entire media have vilified him for this. Boris Johnson had his flat decoration paid for by a doner - that one thing cost over £100,000. The media did not vilify him!

What I find degrading is that the media appears to be running this country through lies, propaganda and gaslighting … and people are falling for it.

Rosie51

LizzieDrip are you saying Starmer hasn't accepted all these freebies, that the media are lying?
As for take us back into the EU, what makes you think its guaranteed all 27 countries would vote yes to having the UK back in? We were refused entry for enough years before finally joining. I wish we'd never left, I voted remain, but appreciate rejoining will not be easy, and likely won't happen in my lifetime.

I would give a lot to be back in the EU! It has all gone down the pan since we left. I wonder how many people who voted to leave regret their choice now! Lots, I would imagine.
(I know this isn’t a political thread but just had to say! Apologies!)

My reading of Lizzie's post was of a frustrated tongue in cheek!

Boris Johnson had his flat decoration paid for by a doner - that one thing cost over £100,000. The media did not vilify him
Well, actually they did!
The system allows for redecoration of the part of No.10 used by the PM - as it does not belong to him, he cannot take it with him so however OTT, crass or tasteless his spending on it, it is not in fact a personal gift (any more than the choice of -possibly priceless- paintings the FCO, the Treasury, Downing Street, the Home Office, Scottish or Welsh Offices are allowed to choose to hang on their walls) . He can’t take it with him.

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?

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!

Yes Wyllow - frustrated is correct!

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!🤔

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?

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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!

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?

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..

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.