Sir Keir Starmer has been slammed for using Donald Trump’s victory to “throw out the trash” in the “height of cynicism”.
Labour has published a major transparency report revealing that 83 per cent of government ministers are members of trade unions, in a release that came hours after the US election results.
The 76-page document, detailing the financial interests of all 118 Labour ministers, has sparked controversy over its timing.
Senior Conservatives have accused Sir Keir Starmer’s government of deliberately using Trump’s win as cover to “throw out the trash”, though Downing Street has denied the release was a distraction tactic.
Keir Starmer was accused of using Trump’s victory as a way to distract from the report
PA
The report confirms ministers will still be permitted to accept hospitality despite recent “freebies” scandals.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “It is the height of cynicism to use the US election result to throw out the trash.”
The spokesman added that “Labour have surrendered to foreign courts, admitted that the trade unions run the country, given a green light to more freebies, signalled more money to spin doctors, and watered down government openness.”
Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith drew parallels with past Labour controversies, stating: “To use the famous Labour line, they must have thought this was a good day to bury bad news.”
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Donald Trump’s victory has made headlines across the world
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The report outlines several key changes to ministerial transparency rules, with hospitality and gifts now to be published monthly rather than quarterly.
Ministers will be required to consider public perception when accepting hospitality, following controversy over Taylor Swift tickets and loaned clothing.
Special advisers have secured a legal right to annual salary reviews, after reports of potential strike action from staff.
This follows revelations that Sue Gray earned £170,000 as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff – £3,000 more than the Prime Minister.
Trump was congratulated by world leaders
Reuters
The ministerial code has been updated to allow Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s independent adviser, to initiate misconduct investigations independently.
Labour has strongly defended both the timing and content of the report, with a party source hitting back at Conservative criticism.
“While Conservative ministers spent years in power using their Tory freebies loophole to avoid declaring the value of hospitality, this Labour Government knows the importance of restoring trust,” the source said.
The source emphasised Labour’s commitment to strengthening transparency rules, contrasting this with their “sleaze-ridden Tory predecessors, who voted to rip up the rules when they got into trouble.”