[ad_1]
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over potential breaches of rules on earnings and gifts.
The parliamentary website shows the former top lawyer is being probed over potential breaches of two sections of the MPs’ rules of conduct on registering interests.
It is understood it relates to late declarations made by the opposition leader. MPs have 28 days in which to declare payments or hospitality received on top of their salaries.
The first matter under investigation is stated as: ‘Registration of interests under Category 1 of the Guide to the Rules (Employment and earnings).’
And the second: ‘Registration of interests under Category 3 of the Guide to the Rules (Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources).’
Sir Keir Starmer has sought to blame administrative errors in his office for a ‘small number of late declarations’ under investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
A spokesman for the Labour leader said: ‘Keir Starmer takes his declaration responsibilities very seriously and has already apologised for the fact that administrative errors in his office have led to a small number of late declarations.
‘The Standards Commissioner has asked for more information which we are happy to provide.’
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he is confident he has not broken the MPs’ code of conduct, saying ‘there’s no problem here’.
The investigation has been launched by Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone
During a visit to Wakefield, the Labour leader told broadcasters the allegations were not a surprise, adding: ‘My office is dealing with it and will be replying in due course.’
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he is confident he has not broken the MPs’ code of conduct, saying ‘there’s no problem here’.
During a visit to Wakefield, the Labour leader told broadcasters the allegations were not a surprise, adding: ‘My office is dealing with it and will be replying in due course.’
Asked if he was sure he had done nothing wrong, he said: ‘Absolutely confident, there’s no problem here.’
The rules on employment and earnings say that MPs must register payments of more than £100 which they receive for work outside the Commons.
Under the section on gifts and hospitality, they must register benefits worth more than £300, or multiple benefits from the same source if they exceed that value in a calendar year.
The register shows that, as of the end of May, Sir Keir had registered earnings of £17,598.60 for legal advice given before 2020, the year in which he became the Opposition leader.
It shows the lawyer received the sum on August 24 last year for around 70 hours of work, before registering it seven days later.
Two copyright payments for books written before his election to Parliament in the London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras are also included, as is a £18,450 advance from publisher HarperCollins for a book he is writing.
The investigation comes at a difficult time for the Labour leader amid questions over his ability to take on the Tories.
Yesterday a new poll revealed the public still prefer Boris Johnson as prime minister.
Mr Johnson, who was dealt a political blow last week when 148 of his MPs voted for a no-confidence motion in him, has seen his popularity eroded since the 2019 election by the Partygate revelations and the cost of living crisis.
However, 28 per cent of voters still think he would make the best Prime Minister, compared with just 26 per cent for Sir Keir, according to a poll for The Observer.
Mr Johnson also improved his approval rating by three points to minus 27, although he is still trailing the Labour leader, who remains on minus 6.
In the poll, conducted by Opinium, 35 per cent of respondents also said neither of the party leaders would make the best prime minister.
The parliamentary website shows the former top lawyer is being probed over potential breaches of two sections of the MPs’ rules of conduct on registering interests.
Half said they could not imagine Sir Keir in the role, compared with just 37 per cent who can, while 47 per cent felt Labour was not ready to form the next government.
Sir Keir has failed to put any daylight between Labour and the Conservatives ahead of two crucial by-elections next week, however, with the governing party closing the gap to just two points in the most recent survey. Labour are now on 36 per cent of the vote, with the Tories up one point on 34 per cent. The Liberal Democrats and Greens remain at 13 and 6 per cent respectively.
Mr Johnson’s approval ratings remain low after he was fined for a lockdown breach in 2020 and the release of the Sue Gray report which criticised the leadership in No 10.
But he once again leads his opponent in the poll of who would make the best Prime Minister, climbing two points while Sir Keir dropped two since the last survey.
The polling comes just days after the Labour leader failed to make an impact at the despatch box during Prime Minister’s Questions following Mr Johnson’s vote of no confidence.
Deputy leader Angela Rayner later said that Sir Keir needs to ‘put some more welly’ into his speeches.
[ad_2]
Source link
