Gary Neville defends Keir Starmer over free Premier League tickets labelling donations row 'storm in a teacup'
23 September 2024, 12:01 | Updated: 23 September 2024, 12:32
Gary Neville has defended Sir Keir Starmer accepting free tickets to Premier League matches, and described the donations row as a "storm in a teacup".
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He labelled criticism directed at the Prime Minister "absolutely incredible" in comparison to the "absolute filth" from the "rancid" former Tory government.
He also told LBC that Starmer had been advised by security to watch Arsenal from a hospitality box.
"The amount of scrutiny that has been placed on this is unbelievable" he added. He later said there had been an "exaggeration" of the matter completely.
The government has been embroiled in a donations row since it emerged members of the front bench accepted money and gifts during their time in opposition and on the campaign trail.
On Friday, a Downing Street source confirmed they would no longer accept clothing donations.
It was a stance reiterated by the Chancellor when she spoke with Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, with Rachel Reeves admitting that people may find the acceptance of donations "a little bit odd".
The Prime Minister also defended his decision to accept corporate hospitality from Arsenal football club, arguing he can no longer use his normal seats as prime minister.
On Monday, the former England star also told a Labour Party conference fringe event: "I'm struggling with the free football tickets one quite a bit, to be honest with you, when I look at the absolute corruption we've seen in the last five, six, seven, eight years with people getting billions of pounds worth of contracts in VIP lanes."
He added: "Keir Starmer's paid for his season ticket to go with his family to watch Arsenal all his life and he's now being told he can't go to that same seat, when I'm sure he would - you know he would, everybody knows he would - he's been told he's got to go in a hospitality box, a private box.
"To be fair, a lot of the people complaining about him will end up in those types of boxes themselves, including myself at times."
Mr Neville continued: "I find it absolutely incredible that this level of attention is now being paid to a Labour Prime Minister when I look at the absolute cronyism we watched for years under that lot."
Nick Ferrari probes Rachel Reeves on Labour donations rows
The Prime Minister also received more than £16,000 for clothes and glasses from Lord Waheed Alli, a Labour party donor, records show.
Victoria Starmer also received free clothing, as well as a personal shopper and alterations, which her husband initially failed to declare.
It then emerged that, after Labour came to power, Lord Alli got a temporary Downing Street security pass despite having no formal government role.
Then on Friday, it was reported Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves received thousands of donations for clothing, which was categorised as general office support.
On Friday, a Downing Street source confirmed they would no longer accept clothing donations.
