I took freebies so my son could study for his GCSEs in peace, says Sir Keir Starmer
25 September 2024, 12:34
Sir Keir Starmer has defended his decision to take freebies, saying his son needed a place to study for his GCSEs ‘without being disturbed.’
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He suggested he took £20,000 in donations for accommodation because his son needed somewhere to revise for his GCSEs while his family home was surrounded by journalists during the election campaign.
Sir Keir told LBC this morning he was “not going to apologise for not doing anything wrong” and the freebies did not “cost the taxpayer a penny”.
In a series of interviews today, sir Keir said he wanted a ‘peaceful’ atmosphere where his son could revise while he was overwhelmed with media attention in the run-up to the election.
Nick Ferrari is joined by Sir Keir Starmer | Watch the full interview
My boy, 16, was in the middle of his GCSEs. I made him a promise, a promise that he would be able to get to his school, do his exams, without being disturbed,” he told the BBC.
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“I promised him we would move somewhere, get out of the house and go somewhere where he could be peacefully studying.”
"It has been tough for the kids. I'm not pleading a special case but they're 16 and 13," he said. "That's a very important time."
The Prime Minister also said LBC he had to accept free tickets to Arsenal football matches so that he wouldn’t be kicking out season ticket holders to make room for his security detail.
“The club said why don’t you be our guests in the director’s box… you can’t pay for a ticket in the director’s box.
“If you look at that picture of Rishi Sunak you all around him you will see people in pretty smart clothing… they are his security team.
“If the suggestion was made that some people were hoiked out of their season ticket seats so that my security could go in there… that would not be a popular move with fans.”
The row over declarations by MPs and senior ministers had threatened to overshadow the Labour conference, with criticism aimed at both the PM and his ministers for accepting luxury gifts from wealthy donors while announcing cuts to the winter fuel allowance.
Sir Keir has said ministers will no longer take donations for clothing now they are in Government, but left the door open to receiving more access to events, such as the £4,000 worth of tickets to a Taylor Swift concert he accepted from the Premier League.
Asked whether he would rule out accepting such gifts in the future, he told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I think that's a matter of judgment. There has to be good reason."
