Sir Keir Starmer has defended accepting a £20,000 donation for accommodation, explaining that it was necessary to provide his son with a quiet space to study for his

GCSEs while their family home was under siege by journalists during the election campaign.

The Prime Minister dismissed criticism of the arrangement with Labour peer Lord Alli, stating he had done nothing wrong and the donation did not "cost the taxpayer a penny." He also hinted that he might continue accepting hospitality from donors, emphasizing that it is a "matter of judgment" for individual MPs when it comes to receiving certain types of donations.

In interviews following his speech at the Labour Party’s annual conference, Sir Keir discussed the challenges of transitioning to life in Downing Street, especially for his two children, who previously grew up in North London. He shared that his son's exams were a priority during the stressful campaign period.

Asked about the donation, Sir Keir explained that the £20,000 declared from Lord Alli for accommodation was to help his 16-year-old son find a peaceful environment to study amid the media frenzy outside their home.

“My son was in the middle of his GCSEs, and I promised him he’d have a quiet place to study without disruption,” Starmer told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “We had journalists camped outside our house, and while I’m fine with that, it’s not ideal for a 16-year-old trying to study for his exams.”

Sir Keir said that when someone offered him alternative accommodation, he accepted, believing it was the right decision for his son’s well-being.

When asked if he would apologize for accepting the donation, Starmer told LBC, “I’m not going to apologize for not doing anything wrong.”

The controversy over donations came during the Labour conference, with criticism directed at the Prime Minister and his ministers for accepting luxury gifts from wealthy donors while announcing cuts to winter fuel allowances.

Sir Keir clarified that ministers would no longer accept donations for personal items, such as clothing, now that Labour is in government. However, he did not entirely rule out receiving access to events or other types of gifts, such as the £4,000 worth of Taylor Swift concert tickets he received from the Premier League.

Asked if he would refuse such gifts in the future, he told Good Morning Britain, “I think that’s a matter of judgment. There has to be a good reason.” Photo by Kirsty O'Connor / No 10 Downing Street, Wikimedia commons.