In less than three months in office the PM Keir Starmer is engulfed in a situation where he has compromised his position.
The recent elections in Britain swept away the Conservative Party and ushered in the Labour Party with a big majority. The British people were tired of the sleaze and the cavalier fashion in which the country was run by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Billions of pounds were siphoned during Covid by contracts given to friends and relatives to supply face masks and other essentials. Companies formed by friends of powerful politicians were given the contracts which were never honoured or were produced in such a way that they were not fit for purpose. When Rishi Sunak took over from Boris he managed to steady the ship and revitalised the economy. He had not accepted any free gifts apart from being an honorary member of the Carlton Club worth over £2000,00. However this was not enough for him to win the elections.
Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party which was formed to fight for the interests of the working class became the PM. He had promised a government based on integrity, honesty and openness. He promised to restore service and respect to politics. In other words, a government free of sleaze and corruption. It is therefore a matter of great surprise that in less than three months in office the PM is engulfed in a situation where he has compromised his position. PM Starmer is said to have received gifts worth more than £100,000 since 2019. He received £40,000 worth of free tickets for football matches from the Premier League. More controversially, he recently received a gift of free clothes to the tune of £12,000, free accommodation worth £20,000 and glasses valued at £2,485, as well as £50,000 worth of clothes for his wife Victoria Starmer. All this from Lord Waheed Alli, a millionaire. As the saying goes there is no such thing as a free lunch. Lord Alli had a free pass to 10 Downing Street, the PM’s official residence. Other donors will also expect special favours from the PM. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Deputy PM have also accepted free gifts. So here we have the leaders of a newly elected government which promised a clean slate already deep into sleaze.
To top it this Labour Party which was created to defend the poor has stopped the winter fuel subsidy for millions of poor people. This led to an unusual debate in Parliament, whereby the traditionally middle class Party was protesting against the cuts in fuel subsidy of the poor and the party of the poor insisting on cutting the fuel subsidy which will expose the poor to the cold in the coming winter.
Freebies are increasingly being used by politicians to grab power. In Delhi, Arvind Kejrival had given free electricity and Rs 1,000 every month to all women over 18. It is a surprise that this is not seen as bribery which jeopardises the idea of a free election.
From the US to the UK and India democracy is being undermined by corrupt politicians.