- Tugendhat questions Starmer’s high gifts and hospitality
- Emphasizes transparency, noting MPs often decline offers
- Leadership race continues with four candidates remaining
Former security minister Tom Tugendhat, who is running for the Conservative Party leadership, tells Sophy Ridge that Sir Keir Starmer’s high costs “raise some questions.”
Tom Tugendhat has underlined that it is “important to be transparent” following the revelation that Sir Keir Starmer has got significantly more freebies than any other MP since becoming Labour leader.
The Conservative leadership hopeful stated that the prime minister’s receipt of £107,145 in gifts, benefits, and hospitality since December 2019 “raises some questions.”
The prime minister received two and a half times as many gifts and hospitality as the next MP.
The next highest in the league table is Commons leader Lucy Powell, who received £40,289 in gifts, while the Prime Minister earned about the same as the following five MPs combined.
Mr. Tugendhat, one of four candidates vying to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative Party leader, revealed that MPs are frequently offered gifts and complimentary tickets, but “a lot of us decline politely.
He told the Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge: “I’ve been asked to many different gatherings at various times. And you realize you need to make a decision. Does it appear correct? Does it smell right? Put, pass the sniff test.
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“To be number one in that ranking does raise some questions.”
When asked if Sir Keir’s assertions pass the smell test, Mr. Tugendhat emphasized that the vast quantity “raises questions.”
The Conservative leadership candidate also emphasized the importance of “transparency,” noting that “it appears” Sir Keir is “reporting things properly.”
He responded with: “The question is, why are people offering him so many freebies?”
My Tugendhat, the former security minister, is one of four candidates left in the contest to succeed Mr Sunak.
The other candidates include Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, and James Cleverly.
Mel Stride was eliminated from the campaign in the last round of voting, with Mr Jenrick winning with 33 votes and ex-business secretary Ms Badenoch finishing second with 28.
Mr Cleverly, the former home secretary, received 21 votes, as did Mr Tugendhat.
