UK politics live: Starmer pays back £6,000 in gifts amid donations row as Lord Alli faces interest probe
Prime minister ‘covering cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four races tickest and designer clothing deal’ for his wife
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Sir Keir Starmer has paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality he received since the election, after the row over ministerial donations, it’s been revealed.
The prime minister is covering the cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four tickets to the races and a clothing rental agreement with a high-end designer favoured by his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “The prime minister has commissioned a new set of principles on gifts and hospitality to be published as part of the updated ministerial code. Ahead of the publication of the new code, the prime minister has paid for several entries on his own register. This will appear in the next register of members’ interests.”
Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli is under investigation over alleged non-registration of interests that could lead to a possible breach of the members’ code of conduct.
The fashion mogul, who has been at the centre of the row over donations accepted by Sir Keir Starmer, is being probed by the Lords’ commissioner.
Meanwhile, James Cleverly issued an apology to Tory members following the party’s brutal election defeat in July, urging the party to avoid complacency, warning against “wallowing in self-pity”.
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ICYMI: Cleverly refuses to disown Truss tax chaos three times
Tory leadership contender James Cleverly refused three times to disown the economic chaos which took place under Liz Truss’ leadership after his plan to scrap stamp duty on house sales was likened to policies introduced by the former prime minister.
The pledge, which he said would cost £10 billion, was compared in a radio interview to the disastrous tax cuts introduced by Ms Truss’ government.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke has the full story:
Cleverly refuses to disown Truss tax chaos three times
The Tory leadership contender declined to distance himself from Liz Truss’ disastrous economic policies
Conservative MP slams Jenrick’s ‘lazy, mendacious, simplistic’ speech
Your Tory Party conference questions answered by John Rentoul
This year’s Conservative Party conference in Birmingham provides a pivotal moment for reflection and debate.
It stands in stark contrast to the 2023 gathering, when Rishi Sunak’s government made a series of last-minute policy announcements, including offshoring prisoners, cutting civil servants, and controversially scrapping HS2.
As the conference unfolds, our chief political commentator John Rentoul has been answering your burning questions on the leadership contest, the fallout from the election defeat, and more.
Former cabinet minister endorses Kemi Badenoch
David Davis has backed Tory leader wannabe Kemi Badenoch following her speech at the Conservative Party conference.
The former cabinet minister and leadership contender said the party needs a leader who can “overpower the weak and ineffective Keir Starmer” and deliver a “real prospect of victory at the next election”.
Mr Davis added: “In terms of intellectual capacity, idealism, common sense and courage, I think Kemi offers our Party and our country the very best chance for the future, and I will be voting for her to lead us into the next election.”
ICYMI: Kemi Badenoch says Britain must not be ‘a sponge for migrants’
Kemi Badenoch has made it clear she wants to clamp down on migration to the UK, claiming that many use Britain as “a sponge”.
The former favourite for the Tory leadership contest has seen her challenge drop off in recent days, with ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick appearing to be in the driving seat during the Tory conference in Birmingham.
Our political editor David Maddox has the full story below:
Kemi Badenoch says Britain must not be ‘a sponge for migrants’
Badenoch takes hard line stance on migration to try to get leadership challenge back on track
In pictures: Tory leadership candidates end conference speeches
Badenoch refuses to take questions from the media
Kemi Badenoch refused to take questions from the media after her speech, Millie Cooke reports from the conference.
While the three other candidates all spoke to journalists after their conference addresses, Ms Badenoch instead sent out four of her supporting MPs to take questions from the press.
Asked repeatedly where the former business secretary was, and why she wasn’t speaking to the press, Badenoch-backer Chris Philp said she had already done “lots of interviews with journalists”.
The Tory leadership contender was mobbed by reporters as she left the conference centre but still refused to answer questions.
Starmer vows to put UK-EU relationship back on ‘stable, positive footing'
Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted to put the UK-EU relationship back on a “stable, positive footing” as he met European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels.
The Prime Minister said: “I firmly believe that the British public want to return to pragmatic, sensible leadership when it comes to dealing with our closest neighbours, to make Brexit work and to deliver in their interests, to find ways to boost economic growth, strengthen our security and tackle shared challenges like irregular migration and climate change.”
He added that “in dangerous times we have a duty to work together to preserve stability and security,” referring to the crisis in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.
Sir Keir said: “We are determined to put this relationship back on a stable, positive footing that I think we all want to see.”
Pictured: Tory leadership rivals sing national anthem
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