STEPHEN Flynn has been left fuming with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards following reports Keir Starmer won’t be investigated for his late declaration of clothes gifted to his wife.
The Prime Minister has signalled he would carry on taking gifts from Labour peer Lord Alli amid a backlash over the gifts.
He insisted there was a “massive difference between declarations and corruption” as he faced questions over his alleged failure to register high-end clothing given to Lady Starmer by the prominent donor on time.
The Tories have demanded a full investigation into the Starmers’ links with Lord Alli with the party calling for an investigation into Starmer’s “failure to declare”.
However, it was reported by the Daily Mail’s deputy political editor Harriet Line that Starmer won’t be investigated by the commissioner.
Reacting to the news on Twitter/X, Flynn said: “Yet last year the commissioner deemed it reasonable to launch an investigation into my use of 28 pence worth of stationery.
“The process lasted four months. It concluded with no action, of course.”
The SNP Westminster leader was referencing how he was reported to House of Commons authorities in July after a PR stunt which saw his team hand out mugs stuffed with official parliament compliments slips criticising the Labour Party.
Number 10 has said it sought advice from the authorities on the issue of declarations and believed its conduct had been compliant but that “following further interrogation this month, we have declared further items”.
MPs are required to register gifts and donations within 28 days.
Speaking to journalists travelling with him on his visit to Rome, Starmer dismissed the idea that taxpayers should fund such expenses for prime ministers and their spouses, but suggested it would be “pushing it a bit far” to deny him the right to accept certain kinds of hospitality.
Giving the example of football tickets, which the Prime Minister is known to accept as gifts, he said: “I’m a massive Arsenal fan. I can’t go into the stands because of security reasons. Therefore, if I don’t accept a gift of hospitality, I can’t go to a game. You could say, ‘well, bad luck’. That’s why gifts have to be registered.
“But, you know, never going to an Arsenal game again because I can’t accept hospitality is pushing it a bit far.”
The National has approached the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards for further comment.
