Business and Energy Minister Sarah Jones has had the unenviable task of fielding the morning round after Downing Street made freebiegate even worse last night by announcing that the PM would repay £6,000 worth of gifts he’d received since becoming PM. But not the football – Starmer still needs free use of a box for vague ‘security reasons‘…

Jones was asked on Times Radio if there was a suitable reason for someone like Jonathan Reynolds to accept tickets to Glastonbury, seeing as if a corporate donated them for business it would seem like corruption and if they were donated for entertainment it would look like a freebie. Her answer hinted at just how thought out the government’s new strategy on dealing with freebie criticism is…

“Well, I think that is the question that the prime minister is asking through the new set of principles… I think the question is now being asked. And that is the question that the prime minister is asking, as well as other people, for what purpose are we going to these events? Let’s look at these issues.”

Jones added later: “I’m not going to go to another event like that that I’m invited to,” while failing to explain why Starmer should be paying back his freebies and his ministers shouldn’t. Labour is struggling to deal with the logical aftermath of its incessant pious screeching over donations while in opposition…

Jones also claimed that “there is a difference between government and opposition when you’re building relationships in opposition.” These lines are unravelling the moment they’re said…