Reeves said this morning of her Sabrina Carpenter concert tickets:
“For security reasons, I did take a ticket in a box… I don’t have any intention of doing this again… If it’s related to my job and it’s something that I need to do in my job, like I’m going to a formal dinner or a formal event, of course you have to accept hospitality. But, look, I went with a family member. I’m not intending to take concert tickets in the future.”
The line is: It was needed for security, but I won’t do it again. That leaves Starmer in a difficult position…
The PM has personally accepted £4250 worth of private donations since he paid back the £6,000 of freebies he got since the election. All of those are football games and £4,000 is made up of Directors’ Box tickets for Arsenal fixtures. Downing Street’s justification is that “given security advice, the club has said it will find seats for my son and I in the directors’ box whenever practicable.” Reeves’ explanation for her box at Sabrina Carpenter is the same, though the Chancellor has gone further to say even that is not a suitable justification…
Since the first freebie scandal which ended with updated rules for ministerial donations Yvette Cooper has declared £3555 of personal freebies, Peter Kyle £560, Rayner £350, and Reeves £600. Last month alone the Labour frontbench declared £10,329 of hospitality on the separate ministerial register , a whopping £4,445 of which was declared by one Chris Bryant. Bryant took tickets to the BAFTAs, Oedipus at the Old Vic, and Richard II at the Bridge Theatre, among others. Vital work…
By saying she won’t take concert tickets again in future Reeves has set a new standard for Labour. Will Starmer or other ministers take leisure freebies in the future?
After strident criticism from fellow ministers Pennycook and Alexander this week Reeves has declared defeat on her freebie-taking habit. At last night’s press conference the Chancellor blamed her presence in a box at a Sabrina Carpenter concert on a family member, insisting that she received “advice” to do so and that she would rather have sat with the laymen in regular seats. It’s a tough life…
This morning on LBC Reeves said she would “think carefully” about still doing it and on ITV said: “I don’t have any intention of doing it again.” Stepping short of saying she won’t do it in future – remember when she said she had no plans to raise taxes?
Co-conspirators will remember Starmer repaid £6,000 worth of freebies he received since becoming PM when the scandal last reared its head. Will Rachel?
Downing Street says the PM “supports all of his ministers making their own judgments” over free hospitality when asked whether Reeves had made the right decision. But it now appears Labour ministers are now self-banning themselves from taking any freebies at all. Does that also extend to Labour MPs?
Now David Blunkett weighs in on Politics Live over Reeves’ free Sabrina Carpenter tickets:
“My immediate reaction was she’s got a damn sight better work life balance than I have… I can’t remember ever being given free – in terms of not actually having paid for the ticket – sometimes people invited you to sit in a more comfortable place but you’d paid.“
How things change. Blunkett deigned to add: “I wouldn’t have done it but I’d have just sat with the audience.” Rayner on LBC earlier just said it was up to individual MPs after her ally Pennycook attacked the Chancellor this morning. Is anyone going to bother defending Rachel…
It’s bad timing for Reeves as a renewed freebiegate scandal rumbles on. On top of Sabrina Carpenter tickets she took £276 worth of freebies to see The Importance of Being Earnest and an adaptation of Noel Streatfeild’s Ballet Shoes…
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has hit out at Reeves’ habit this morning on LBC. He said “I don’t personally think it’s appropriate. If I want to go to a concert at the O2 I’ll pay for it… I personally haven’t done, as I said, at the O2, and wouldn’t do.” He added “individual MPs, individual ministers make their own decisions.” Correct…
Yesterday transport secretary Heidi Alexander took a swipe at the Chancellor by claiming she hadn’t taken freebie tickets because she is “very busy diary.” Not much goodwill for Reeves from her frontbench colleagues this week…
Freebies have reared their head again as the Chancellor defends taking gratis tickets to a Sabrina Carpenter concert. She said yesterday: “I do now have security which means it’s not as easy as it would have been in the past to just sit in a concert.“ How awful – it’s got to be the box then…
This morning on Times Radio transport secretary Heidi Alexander was asked about the refreshed row. She was asked if it felt right to her – seeing as Reeves is cutting spending elsewhere. Alexander said:
“I haven’t taken any tickets to be honest since I was elected back in June as a new member of parliament and going straight into the Ministry of Justice and then coming straight into the Department for Transport. I actually sadly haven’t been to see any concerts at all over the last nine months, partly because I’ve been very very busy.“
She stressed again why she hasn’t taken freebie tickets: “Partly because I’ve got a very busy diary and I’ve got to prioritise my time.” Ouch…
The long-running internal row over freebies bubbling to the surface there. Can’t be governing in service if you’re screaming along to ‘Espresso’…
Whilst in Opposition, Starmer and Labour were highly sanctimonious at the slightest whiff of Tory sleaze or scandal, vowing to “clean up politics” upon entering Downing Street. Yet, since taking office, Labour has been anything but squeaky clean. Three ministers have already resigned, while two others have been caught embellishing their CVs. Guido gives co-conspirators a full list of the scandals (and various ‘-gates’) Labour has racked up in just seven months in power:
Cronyism-Gate: Labour donors and Labour Together employees appointed to high level civil service roles, including Ian Corfield,Emily Middleton and as Guido revealed, Jess Sargeant. Corfield was forced to resign, and an investigation was launched to review the appointments. Though the review concluded it was “largely satisfied” with the processes in place…
First Resignation: Rosie Duffield resigns as Labour MP with scathing attack on Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Lord Alli-Gate: Labour donor Lord Alli given a Downing Street pass. He funded at least seven Cabinet ministers with £314,147 in donations. He also handed Starmer £2,000 worth glasses and £16,200 for clothes. Glasses for passes…
PartyFrock-Gate: Lord Alli paid £5,000 for Starmer’s wife to have a personal shopper and clothing alterations. The scandal didn’t seem to bother ‘Lady Victoria Sponger’ as Guido spotted her sporting a £1,200 jacket on the same day the Tories wrote to Standards Commissioner calling for an investigation into Starmer’s failure to disclose donations from Lord Waheed Alli…
Reeves Holiday Scandal: Reeves accused of breaching parliamentary rules by failing to fully declare a £1,400 holiday gifted by Labour donor and now West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker.
Taylor Swift Freebie-gate: Ten Labour MPs, including Starmer, Yvette Cooper, Wes Streeting, and Bridget Phillipson, accepted free Taylor Swift concert tickets worth over £22,000.
Sue Gray Scandal: Starmer’s Chief of Staff handed a salary of £170,000—more than the Prime Minister. After weeks of internal briefings, she resigned and was given the non-job “Nations and Regions Envoy” role, but didn’t attend key meetings before being sacked again as Guido revealed. She’s since been placed in the Lords. Joining her close mate Lord Alli on the red benches…
Penthouse-gate: Guido revealed Starmer used Lord Alli’s £18 million penthouse to film a 2022 “work from home” video. Downing Street claimed it was a one-off, though Guido revealed 37 minutes later that he also paid tribute to the Queen from the same penthouse.
Reeves CV Scandal: Guido revealed the Chancellor embellished her CV, falsely claiming to be an economist at HBOS when she worked in complaints. She also misrepresented her tenure at the Bank of England, claiming it was for a decade when it was only five and half years. The BBC then revealed she was part of an investigation into misuse of company expenses, including gifts of handbags, perfumes, and luxury dinners…
“Working Person” Meaning: Labour completely changes definition of ‘Working People’ before the budget. Guido covered the slew of different definitions on what promising not to tax working people actually means. Conclusion: most are hit by Reeves’ bombshell budget…
USA Scandal: Labour’s Head of Operations advertised on LinkedIn that almost 100 party staff would be heading to battleground states in the US to campaign for Kamala harris and that their housing would be “sorted.” Trump then filed a legal complaint against Labour for “blatant interference” in the election…
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh Resignation: Forced to resign after revelations of a fraud conviction at Aviva. After Guido noted all the times Haigh had called for Tories to resign she deemed liars or frauds…
Anti-Corruption Minister Tulip Siddiq Resignation: Named in an investigation into her family including her deposed dictator aunt into the embezzlement of up to £3.9 billion in Bangladesh. Guido was the first in the UK to report that one…
Labour MP Punches Constituent: Mike Amesbury filmed for punching a constituent in the face six times. Guido was the first to write that one up. He had the Labour whip withdrawn, and has since pleaded guilty…
Southport ‘Cover Up’: Starmer holds a car crash press conference on Southport stabbings ‘Coverup’. Starmer admitted he was updated on Rudakubana as information became available. No explanation was given for the delayed terror charges, including the Al-Qaeda bomb manual and ricin production. As Guido noted at the time, Starmer has been quick to call out acts of “terrorism” in the past…
VoiceCoach-Gate: Starmer revealed to have met his voice coach Leonie Mellinger on Christmas Eve 2020 despite London being in Tier 4 lockdown and, as Guido reported, Mellinger didn’t “work” for Labour at the time. She also worked from home for other clients. As Guido also revealed the links between Starmer and Mellinger’s family look to go back much further than voice coaching…
Health Minister Resignation: Health Minister Andrew Gwynn sacked for saying in a WhatsApp group he hoped a pensioner who didn’t vote Labour would die. Guido leaked more content from infamous chat, where members labelled Thornberry a ‘drag queen’ Thornberry and Rayner a ‘waste of time’…
Richard Hermer Under Fire (Still): Under fire Attorney General facing calls to resign over allegations of conflicts of interests. Guido’s extensively reported on his more curious clientsandviews…
Starmer’s Mate Sands: Guido revealed Starmer’s close mate Philippe Sands KC is Mauritius’ chief legal adviser on Chagos Islands. As Guido also reported, he also illegally planted the Mauritian flag on Chagos in 2022…
Jonathan Reynolds CV Embellishment: As Guido revealed earlier, he claimed to be a solicitor when he was only a trainee.
Angela Rayner’s Contradictory Career Claims: The Deputy PM gave inconsistent accounts of how long she worked as a home help, claiming between 7 and 17 years despite records showing it was between three to five years.
Dan Norris Arrest: Labour MP Dan Norris was arrested over allegations relating to “historic sexual attacks on a girl and a rape allegation from the 2020s”. He was subsequently suspended from the party.
Lucy Powell’s ‘Dog Whistle’ Apology: Commons leader Lucy Powell apologised for claiming even a discussion of the rape gangs scandal was somehow a “dog whistle“.
Homelessness Minister Resignation: Homelessness minister Rushanara Ali resigned after evicting her tenants before quickly listing her property again at a higher rate, breaching the terms of Labour’s incoming Renters’ Rights Bill.
Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson set to resign.
Angela Rayner Resigns: After admitting to not paying enough tax on her second home, Rayner resigned as Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.
Peter Mandelson sacked: Starmer eventually sacks Mandelson as US ambassador after leaked emails revealed his close relationship with ‘best pal’ Jeffrey Epstein.
China spy case collapse.
Rachel Reeves admits breaking housing rental law: The Chancellor claimed she made an ‘honest mistake’ in renting out her Southwark property without the appropriate licence.
Guido will update this list when Labour inevitably become embroiled in yet another scandal. CCHQ, take note…
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”
