Football PM faces scrutiny over free gifts and conflict of interest

Keir Starmer is facing questions about whether his £35,000 of free tickets from football clubs risks a conflict of interest as his government prepares to bring in a new regulator opposed by the industry.

- Rowena Mason Aletha Adu

The prime minister has been under scrutiny for days over more than £100,000 of freebies and gifts he accepted over the last parliament, with another £8,000-plus due to be registered for the free use of a box at Arsenal's Emirates stadium.

He has also accepted £2,000 of free glasses, £16,000 of work clothes and use during the election of an £18m luxury penthouse flat from Labour donor Lord Alli. The business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, insisted yesterday that Starmer's attendance at Arsenal football matches and Taylor Swift concerts was "part of the job". The cabinet minister said he had "no problem" with politicians accepting gifts that can be of "a more personal nature" and noted hardworking politicians were entitled to "a bit of relaxation". Starmer also defended the decision to accept a free box at Arsenal, saying it would save the taxpayer "a fortune" on security.

He told ITV London: "Now I'm prime minister, the security advice is that I can't go to the stands. Or if I did, you'd have to do so much to the security and it would cost the taxpayer a fortune as a result.