Rachel Reeves has reignited the Labour freebie sleaze row after it was revealed she accepted tickets to see Sabrina Carpenter throughout her current O2 present in London. The Chancellor was noticed sitting in a company field to observe the US pop star, with comparable tickets promoting for between £475 and £900.
While Ms Reeves has not damaged any guidelines, the revelation has as soon as once more sparked questions on Labour ministers’ freebies and donations. Last September Keir Starmer was rocked by criticism after it emerged he had pocketed £84,000 in free presents together with garments, glasses and tickets to soccer matches. Ms Reeves and Angela Rayner had been additionally stung by the row, which overshadowed Labour’s Liverpool convention.
The row noticed Keir Starmer pay again among the donations, and Labour launched a brand new rule that ministers would now not settle for clothes donations going ahead.
However MPs and ministers had been allowed to proceed receiving different free presents, resembling live performance tickets.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell has lashed out at Ms Reeves’ freebie live performance ticket, at a time when the Chancellor is mulling large profit cuts for among the nation’s poorest.
The left-wing MP blasted: “I thought that this issue had been settled, and ministers would not be accepting free hospitality for personal benefit.
“So to hear of a repeat, should it have occurred, is deeply troubling, not least at a time when many disabled people are worried sick about having their lifeline of support reduced under the ‘Get Britain Working’ reforms.”
A Treasury spokesman mentioned: “All declarations will be made in the usual way.”
The non-public VIP field utilized by Ms Reeves is owned by AEG, a former consumer of lobbying agency FTI Consulting, whose shoppers together with tobacco giants, North Sea oil and banks resembling HSBC and Lloyds.
The i, who revealed the Chancellor’s newest freebie, mentioned it’s not potential to rule out that lobbyists had been seated alongside Ms Reeves throughout the present.
It is known that she acquired safety recommendation that she couldn’t attend within the basic admission areas of the present.
AEG mentioned: “As is standard practice across the events industry, AEG often offers tickets to partners and clients. This includes local authorities and community groups for them to use within their organisations, the acceptance of which is at their discretion.
“AEG has not worked with FTI for over a year and there is no arrangement in place – nor has there ever been – for usage of our hospitality or event tickets in exchange for services.
“Separately, there was no fee or commercial relationship with AEG/ FTI Consulting with regard to the Chancellor’s recent attendance at The O2.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2027460/rachel-reeves-labour-freebie-sabrina-carpenter