PM Says £20,000 Accommodation Donation Was for ‘Son to Have a Quiet Place to Study for GCSEs’

Sir Keir Starmer explained that he accepted £20,000 in donations for accommodation because his son needed a quiet place to study for his GCSE exams. During the election campaign, their family home was surrounded by journalists, making it hard for his son to focus.

The Prime Minister defended receiving gifts from Labour peer Lord Alli, saying he didn’t do anything wrong and that the gifts didn’t cost the public any money. He also hinted that he might still accept hospitality from donors, leaving it up to individual MPs to decide whether to accept certain donations.

Sir Keir said, “My son, who was 16 and taking his GCSEs, needed to study in peace. I promised him he could attend school and take his exams without distractions.” He added that their house was often surrounded by journalists, which made it hard for his son to concentrate. Someone offered him a place where his son could study, and he accepted because it was the right thing to do.

When asked if he wanted to apologize for the controversy, Sir Keir told LBC, “I’m not going to apologize for not doing anything wrong.”

He also shared that life in Number 10 had been challenging for his two children, aged 16 and 13, as they adjusted to the new environment.

The debate about ministers accepting luxury gifts from wealthy donors was causing issues during the Labour conference, especially since they were announcing cuts to the winter fuel allowance at the same time.

Sir Keir said ministers would no longer accept donations for clothing now that they are in government, but he didn’t rule out receiving access to special events, like the £4,000 worth of Taylor Swift concert tickets he got from the Premier League.

When asked if he would stop accepting such gifts in the future, he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain, “I think it depends on the situation. There has to be a good reason.”