Should Keir Starmer be accepting free gifts?

[@cvincent0906]

I think we are all missing the point here. NO POLITICIAN or PUBLIC servant or POLITICAL PARTY should be allowed to accept gifts or donations. No other employees are allowed to, for good reason relating to bribery and corruption laws, so why should the people who run our country be subject to lower standards. Is it a wonder that so many politicians especially from the recently evicted government are so self serving?

[@tonyclewes8]

Employees are allowed to accept gifts of little financial value - pens mugs etc. But who would let such a thing influence their decision making ?

[@Billy_Rizzle]

They should be allowed to accept gifts, but only as long as they adhere to The Bribery Act (2010).

[@richieclean]

If political parties are not to accept donations, how should they cover the cost of campaigns and the day to day running of the party?

[@tonyclewes8]

@@richieclean a big difference between personal and party donations

[@richieclean]

@@tonyclewes8 I'm aware of that. It's the OP that appears not to be 🤷

[@JohnAllenRoyce]

Bribery is flowing freely with tiny eddies of protest like this great take. Love your work, Matt, thank you!

[@Dellboy56]

The freebies won't come anywhere near the lifetime prime minister pension that Liz Truss will receive for her short stint as PM.

[@bernardmaasdijk734]

However true, that's not really the point, is it?

[@clarecrawford9677]

Truss does not receive a lifetime pension. She has access to an expense account (the Public Duty Costs Allowance) of £115,000 per year from which she can claim costs incurred because of being an ex-prime minister. This scheme was dreamt up when Thatcher stood down. She probably used it a great deal more than Truss has had to.

[@Antipaxos_Nadja123]

2 wrongs don't make a right

[@badenhowell3312]

They're not freebies, more sweetners that donors have thrown in to ensure a return on their investments.

[@Dellboy56]

The Tories will be well aware of that!

[@isbestlizard]

It just sticks in your craw that a guy has received in one year more free clothes from his ennobled lordship friend that most people (that he's expecting to tighten their belts and pay more in taxes) have paid on clothes in their ENTIRE LIFETIME.

[@tsr207]

A real "man of the people" accepts gifts and everyone is supposed to accept it? double standards by the Red Tories - Matt is doing an excellent job calling it out on both sides ! Superb parody !

[@duckweedy]

Just because it isn't illegal doesn't make it immoral & questionable. Starmer said he would change things at the same time as he was receiving expensive gifts. If your local policeman was receiving gifts from local businesses would that be OK? It lays Politicians open to bribery. Under Blair there was an awful lot of Lords who seem to have bought their seats from him.

[@peterclarke7240]

So demand a change in the rules. Nobody on the left criticised Corbyn for accepting tens of thousands of donations, despite him being a millionaire. Why not, I wonder?

[@alanrumble7238]

Spot on.

[@Amstermouse1]

Brilliant 😂

[@HiveFleetOni]

This is so multi-layered, fantastic 😄

[@JaneAustenAteMyCat]

Spot on, Matt. I think there should be a limit of £50 on gifts for politicians. Because that way there can be no accusations of buying favours. I'm very disappointed in Keir Starmer. It's bloody obvious why you don't accept gifts. Donations to political parties should be anonymous, or strictly controlled so that 'favours' aren't bought in that realm either. It's anti-democratic

[@ScarySox]

They don't have to declare gifts under £1,500, I wonder how many multiples of £1,499 they get?🤔

[@obtuse1291]

The large company I used to work for had an "ethics" set of policies and we weren't even supposed to accept a gift of a bottle of wine at xmas! Even had HMRC getting involved on these huge "benefits". It seems some of us ARE more equal than others after all. 😂

[@obtuse1291]

​@@ScarySox I can imagine. A crate of champagne, £1450 a bottle, delivered a bottle at a time. 😂😂

[@ProsecutorZekrom]

Like when the Chilean president got a squirtle plush as a gift from Japan because he said it was his favourite Pokemon on social media.

[@MarkSmith-pr7js]

Very Good Indeed Matt

[@AlBowly]

In the N.H.S. You are not allowed to take gifts without scrutiny from the managers, so why are they treated differently.

[@Ian_Carolan]

So Starmer has been vocal about the need for reform of the House of Lords and now we see a Lord just giving Starmer freebies out of the goodness of his heart? Pull the other one it plays "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."

[@brucetownsend691]

It’s sad. A lot of people now think that the sin in hiding bad behaviour is the hiding part.

[@SpikePickard]

Starmer isn't doing, in return. He is not doing. Not closing tax loopholes. and not doing a lot more on top of that.

[@chrisstewart7420]

There we go, Sir Geoffrey Geoff -Geoffrey Labour version. All he needs is a knighthood (next honours list) and a suitable double barrelled working class name. Big up Matt😂😂😂

[@FakeSchrodingersCat]

On the one hand no politicians should receive expensive gifts on the other there is no law against it and they followed the rules. What they should do is make it illegal and then stop doing it.

[@iainl9725]

Absolutely. It's illegal in the US. All gifts to the president are property of the US government.

[@AndyM_323YYY]

The Bribery Act 2010, which came into force on 1 July 2011, makes it an offence for a UK national or person located in the UK to pay or receive a bribe, either directly or indirectly.

[@weswheel4834]

@@AndyM_323YYY You're saying that Starmer received a bribe. And then declared it?

[@AndyM_323YYY]

@@weswheel4834 How do you differentiate between a bribe and a free gift?

[@weswheel4834]

Bribes generally aren't legal. Starmer declared his gifts so presumably didn't consider them to be illegal. (and I'm not sure anyone else has seriously said that they are either).

[@jeff__w]

Meanwhile, over in squeaky-clean Singapore, the former Transport Minister has been charged with graft in receiving $309,560 [USD] in luxury goods. According to AP News, “The gifts included free tickets for Singapore’s Formula 1 Grand Prix, as well as football matches and musicals…” The trial, which has been pushed back several times, is scheduled for 24 September. Whatever else someone might say about Singapore, it does _not_ mess around where corruption is concerned and has a declared “zero tolerance” approach to it.

[@emmabrooker166]

Waiting for the spicy Specsavers ads 🤓

[@DemonDethchase]

It's nice, isn't it. The corruption.

[@eifionlewis7765]

Good work.

[@tcraigh1]

Have a vote of no confidence! Get him out!

[@MrTonyHeath]

NO. Next question.

[@peterclarke7240]

OK. Why not?

[@Kaiissad]

@@peterclarke7240it’s corruption

[@JB_inks]

Matt, I love you. James o Brexit has just spent this morning making the same arguments as your parody

[@sandrafrancis3631]

Great as usual!😂👍

[@annishilcock4587]

A very good defence of Sir Keir thanks Matt....and a row over Sue Gray? Not Dominic Cummings? or Carrie Johnson? but then she was a freebie

[@Beliefish]

wow, the closure was perfect

[@johnridout6540]

Remembering Michael Foot, there is a strong case for donating clothes to the Labour leader

[@superag155]

To think we were worried about satire under a Labour Government.

[@badenhowell3312]

I wasn't. Because I listened to independent media instead of biased mainstream, It wasn't difficult to predict this was going to happen.

[@ninja-mouse]

The discussion alone is nonsensical. My neighbors recently got married and wanted to give the registrar a 50. As a civil servant, she wasn't allowed to accept it.

[@obtuse1291]

Many years ago, I was going round a site with the LA building inspector and on a cold wintery day in the site canteen he wouldn't let me pay for a hot cup of tea for him, costing all of 30 pence. How times have changed. 😂

[@peterclarke7240]

Then demand a change in the law. Nobody batted an eyelid when Corbyn accepted tens of thousands of pounds in donations for his legal costs despite him being a millionaire.

[@emmabrooker166]

You could’ve been a political party member or campaigner seeking to curry influence though. That’s why the rules exist.

[@localshaman]

@@peterclarke7240 That was raised publicly through a collective effort. Not some private businessman trying to buy influence. (He also wasn't in bleeding power)

[@SonjaMorrison-i7j]

Short answer: no

[@tonyclewes8]

Attlee will be spinning in his grave.

[@GreenJimll]

well that's one way for old people to keep warm this winter I guess....

[@jeremyripton]

Dammit No...he shouldn't accept money from anywhere....telling pensioners they're losing £300 a year and taking thousands in hand outs from his rich cronies....grrrrr

[@christinavuyk2026]

My mother asked earlier “When did bribes become freebies?” 😂

[@elvenstranger]

I know its been a while since Labour were in power but these are rookie errors and look so silly. Bad start Kier.

[@tonyclewes8]

Taking away the Winter Fuel Allowance looks and is even worse Should be means tested.

[@minskysfeedbackyianni1302]

@tonyclewes8 That is what is going to be done (means testing) & that is the issue because there will be many, many people who miss out on qualifying for the heating allowance possibly by being just pennies over the income level. More elderly potentially could end up in hospital with hypothermia & other illnesses caused by or exacerbated by cold temperatures, which would add to the NHS's issues & expenses, so really quite a false economy for us all.

[@tonyclewes8]

@minskysfeedbackyianni1302 it all depends on where the bands are set. If cut off is pension income over £20k per year (state + private pension) health impact much less

[@minskysfeedbackyianni1302]

@tonyclewes8 I understand it will only be given to pensioners claiming "pension credit". This I believe would be people on approximately £12,000 per year.

[@eddieharris6004]

No this is not "silliness" it is at best hypocrisy and and closer to corruption. No excuses the players have been on stage long enough to know.

[@Grim_Beard]

One of the few things I liked about Starmer was that he seemed not to be corrupt. Even when the right-wing press went all out trying to find dirt on him, the best they could manage was 'he bought a field next to his mum's house'. Five minutes in Downing Street and his nose is in the trough. Depressing and shameful.

[@eddieharris6004]

Think the right wing press were happy to see sir Keir in number 10 when it became obvious the Conservatives were to be kicked out......he is essentialy one of theirs.

[@Emanon...]

Gifts are by definition free

[@recklessroges]

Welcome to Westminster, you sweet summer child.

[@notadoctora7956]

Still love ure work

[@brucebostock3108]

Perhaps the point is if a prime minister gets this much in gifts, what did Boris and rishi get during their time... All undeclared😮

[@AlBowly]

Sir Jimmy should have given him one of his shell suits

[@emmabrooker166]

Remembering Sam Cam who appeared in a Marks & Spencer dress (that promptly sold out, and she was hugely praised for using her position to promote the Great British High Street). This lot urgently need PR people who aren’t total muppets 🤦‍♀️

[@travelwell6049]

I think the biggest shock horror suspicious story is Sue Gray’s pay packet

[@John-e5k9x]

If it looks like a duck................................................

[@EthanKristopherHartley]

Would you rather he accepted gifts that he was charged for? Because I don't think that's a gift... 😉 😁

[@djoakeydoakey1076]

So.........the optics is bad?

[@speleokeir]

As a fellow Keir I wish I was giftable. Unfortunately the last gifts I received were Covid and a dog turd on my front path.

[@rizzleo5425]

No its bribery what do they get out of it i want to know

[@vivienclogger]

And here I was, thinking that politics would be boring after the election. Political comedians everywhere must be breathing a quiet sigh of relief and/or exasperation at the new government.

[@ProsecutorZekrom]

That would be me, take as many bribes as I can but never do what they want in return. Quickest way to stop having to deal with people trying to bribe you, and you get free shit.

[@minskysfeedbackyianni1302]

@ProsecutorZekrom The free accommodation at one of HMP's if your intentions get found out, accepting "bribes" is illegal even if you don't fulfil your part of the agreement, is a bit of a "fly in the ointment" with your plan. Probably best think up another get rich quick scheme!😉

[@Ology3121]

To Infinity and Beyond for Buzz Starmer.

[@tonyclewes8]

Heads of state get gifts all the time. The Queen got loads of stuff and handed out loads of stuff. Is this bad ? Charles probably gives away many packets of Duchy Originals biscuits!

[@minskysfeedbackyianni1302]

@tonyclewes8 They weren't/ don't make laws for us, that's the difference.

[@tonyclewes8]

@@minskysfeedbackyianni1302 They get buckets of public money already though

[@NotMoreGames]

How often do celebs and royalty get top seats at sporting or social events- all the time. As long as it’s declared and can’t be construed as cash for questions or favours- it’s fine in my book.

[@col.hertford9855]

Love the sketch Matt, it’s going to be even funnier with the whataboutisum from Labour defenders in the comments…. 😅

[@travelwell6049]

I’ll be honest. I just want the PM to get on with it. I don’t care what his wife is wearing. Bribery and corruption is going on and the people whose job it is to act against it should get on with their job too.

[@eddieharris6004]

State prosecutors/ investigators dont progress beyond benefit cheats, speeding motorists and TV licence evaders.....no incentive to look at the real stuff.

[@disklamer]

How about paid gifts? The meaning of gift is a thing that is free. Check your logicalisms.

[@minskysfeedbackyianni1302]

@disklamer Not sure that "logicalisms" is a word , at least not in the English language (logic would do) but I get your meaning. A "gift" - something apparently given for free (no cost to the recipient) becomes a bribe if it is given with reasonable anticipation of receiving a favour in return. Ofcourse this needs to be proved but wouldn't it be nice if our politicians had enough pride to not want to risk their reputations being questioned in this way. Because a bribe may be difficult to prove doesn't mean it didn't happen. Wouldn't it also be nice if aspiring to having fair & honest politicians wasn't viewed as an impossible dream? Don't we all deserve that?

[@disposable157]

Meet the new boss same as the old boss wooooooooooooooo everything's going so well

[@MicrophonesInTheTrees]

THREE MONTHS. Red Tories, indeed.

[@drasticplasticaustin]

Kier Starmers actions have been made with a sneery "I'm alright Jack" king of the castle arrogance. It rubs salt in wounds of so many when it seems that making life more financially difficult for us all is at the top of Labour's agenda.

[@Timlagor]

It's not the appearance that matters. The appearance doesn't not matter but the corruption matters more. Labour Party are so addicted to factional infighting that they just can't stop even though they trounced the nice lefties already.

[@SpikePickard]

its the first time a prime minister has fully declared it. and wasn't boris gifted wallpaper made of gold. this is nothing new, its normal and Starmer just didn't see the gift he made, for the opposition, or see anything wrong with it

[@emmabrooker166]

Define nice

[@paulcopsey6573]

Starmer is an amateur at the free gifts & personel enrichment thing..... compared to Johnson, Truss, Cameron, Sunak.......

[@badenhowell3312]

Except that he's accepted more gifts from donors than any other Labour leader since 1997 put together.

[@anthonyjohnson71]

@@badenhowell3312 has he? have a link for that. also it has not done anything that are against the rules, you could argue the rules need changing, but that is a different argument.

[@badenhowell3312]

@@anthonyjohnson71 It's common knowledge, I'm surprised you didn't know. What difference does it make that he declared it? This is all done in very poor taste at a time when they're claiming we've got to have yet more austerity when wet really don't. They just need to tax wealth, and these gifts are really just bribes to ensure returns on donors' investments.

[@anthonyjohnson71]

@@badenhowell3312 then post a link to it. it does make a difference whether it is legal or not, and who said anything about austerity?

[@chocolatesugar4434]

This is a complete joke

[@elloco1996]

Why are you removing comments that are not offensive in any way?

[@MattGreenComedy]

I haven’t removed any comments today - sometimes YT holds comments for review but I haven’t seen any today.

[@elloco1996]

@@MattGreenComedy -- Ah, that clears things up ... thanks for your reply.

[@ianwood4868]

It might not be true!

[@eddiemiller9000]

Fair play you have to be current but I am disappointed in you for bandwagon jumping. Couldnjave injected some realism into this, you can be better the right wing media and funny.

[@LadyAtelak]

Bandwagon jumping? There's no wagon to jump on - it's simply calling a spade a spade. If Tories are making the same point, it doesn't change the fact that accepting "freebies" from powerful people looks odd. If Putin says the sky is blue, does it cease to be true because it's him saying it? No.

[@cpt-420]

dont give ya day job as a Zuckerberg lookalike

[@emmabrooker166]

eh?

[@darkcymruchannel5683]

I wont argue if he accepts free gifts because he is the prime minister and he is entitled to accept gifts whenever he wants to. those who complain are just jealous

[@davidwuhrer6704]

"We want either less corruption, or more opportunity to participate in it!"

[@obtuse1291]

​@@davidwuhrer6704 😂😂😂

[@badenhowell3312]

You poor naive little man. Those "gifts" were sweeteners from Labour's donors to ensure a return on their investments.

[@oldgreybeard2507]

He's a politician. Try and stop them accepting freebies. One can only hope that this lot are not quite as corrupt as the previous. PS do you think the train drivers will worry that they have been awarded the winter fuel allowance? Thought not

[@ScarySox]

🤷

[@obtuse1291]

Pardon? Are there pensioner train drivers now? Is that a thing? 😂

[@oldgreybeard2507]

@@obtuse1291 deliberately obtuse I see

[@badenhowell3312]

Throughout his tenure as Labour Leader, Jeremy Corbyn accepted only one gift out of the many that he was given: Glastonbury Tickets, and even that he turned into a working weekend.

[@rbaxter286]

How tedious. Starmer knows the laws and the consequences of breaking them, AS YOU, YOURSELF, POINT OUT. If this were actually crossing a line to influence peddling, that is a different issue. However, a 'reasonable person', the basis of Law, would doubt really include this instance in that category. Save your rapier stabs for MEANINFUL instances. This makes you look and sound like a old biddie.

[@Antipaxos_Nadja123]

Are those gifts thousands of pounds and do you get a pass to No10 because of them?

[@col.hertford9855]

The point is the MPs make their own rules. It should be banned tbh, but then I also thing political parties should be state funded once they receive a certain share of the vote. Gifts and donations are rotten to the core.

[@JaneAustenAteMyCat]

I disagree. *Any* gift to a politician amounts to a bribe and is wrong