How can it be acceptable for our leaders to dip their snouts in the trough?
The row over Keir Starmer accepting gifts from wealthy donors just will not go away.
Yesterday our columnist Carlos Alba wondered what the fuss was about, arguing that we need to bring a sense of proportion to the debate.
Today one of our readers condemns the party’s attitude towards dissent within its ranks.
William Thomson of Denny writes:
"I almost ended up in A & E this morning after reading Carlos Alba’s justification of Keir Starmer’s freeloading – suffering from a broken jaw after it hit the floor.
Our Prime Minister is a person who subscribes to the notion that those with the broadest shoulders will have to suffer most, so long as its not him or his hench people.
What world does he inhabit to think that it is okay to accept gifts of £100,000 over the course of a Parliament and then preach to us hoi polloi that we have to tighten our belts and strap ourselves in for a tough ride that he will never directly experience?
And does Rachel Reeves think it is a good look to deprive pensioners of a winter fuel allowance when claiming £4,000 to heat her second home? Margaret 'milk snatcher' Thatcher was a mere novice in comparison and our Chancellor could teach Cruella De Ville a thing or two.
Angela Rayner meantime justifies her freebies as 'well, all politicians do it, so why should I be different?.
And whilst you are in Liverpool why not, Ian Murray and Anas Sarwar, dip your snouts in the trough and accept hospitality from Scottish Salmon to attend a Liverpool football match? Do you really think that no return is expected, even subconsciously, from this largesse?
The claim is that no rules were broken. Fine; but just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. The optics, as they say, are spectacularly bad.
For Carlos Alba to be an apologist for all of this (Starmer’s £100,000 was 'only' £20,000 per year, all politicians are at it, who wouldn’t love a freebie etc) was disgraceful. His article was disingenuous in the extreme.
As a footnote, there are sections of the hoi polloi who enjoy what politicians would seem to define as 'freebies'. They are called benefits. Would that they were on the same level as the 'freebies' these politicians who least need them are enjoying."
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