New donations guidance is because expectations for Labour ‘much higher’ than Tories, says minister
The government is bringing in guidance around donations because the public’s expectations are “so much higher” for Labour than for the Tories, a minister has said.
Peter Kyle, the science secretary, insisted that despite the continued backlash over the freebies row that has engulfed Sir Keir Starmer’s government, “none of the rules had been broken”.
He told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that the reason the government was bringing forward a new set of principles – as announced by the prime minister last week – was because ministers were “trying to meet the expectations that the public have”.
“We had a previous set of leaders in our country, a previous government that was just flouting the rules, breaking the rules and lowering the standards,” he said.
Politics latest: Minister insists ‘we do have money to spend’
“We focussed so much on the rules that what we didn’t do – and we now know we have to do – is take what the public are thinking about what happens within the rules.”
“What we’re trying to do is adapt to what are the expectations – because expectations of this Labour government are so much higher than they were of the previous government, for understandable reasons.”
Challenged on whether the government was in fact “trying to meet the expectations that you yourself set” when criticising the Tories in opposition, Mr Kyle sought to draw a distinction by arguing that the Tories had broken the rules by not declaring some donations.
Sir Keir announced a new set of principles for political donations following weeks of criticism after he and his top team accepted tens of thousands of pounds worth of freebies from wealthy donors.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Starmer: It’s ‘right’ to repay gifts
While all the gifts had been declared, opposition parties have accused Labour of hypocrisy, given they vowed to “clean up politics” if they entered government.
Alongside the new set of principles, the prime minister also confirmed he had paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality received since taking office – including the cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four to the races, and a clothing rental agreement with a high-end designer favoured by his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer.
Read more:
PM ‘should hold COBRA-style meeting to decide new freebies rules‘
Angela Rayner’s Ibiza DJ booth rave was £836 freebie
His decision to cover the cost of some gifts and not others – the prime minister also received work clothing donations worth £16,200 – has prompted a debate over what donations it will now be considered acceptable to receive.
Asked whether “accepting free football tickets or club nights in Ibiza” was “on or off” under the new guidance, Mr Kyle replied: “Everything is declared. We will stick to the rules.
“We’re updating the rules so that it reflects the expectations that we believe the public has of us post election.”
Efforts to bring Gazan children to the UK for urgent medical treatment are set to be accelerated under new government plans.
Under the scheme, reportedly set to be announced within weeks, more injured and sick children will be treated by specialists in the NHS “where that is the best option for their care”.
It has been suggested that up to 300 children could arrive in the UK from Gaza.
A parent or guardian will accompany each child, as well as siblings if necessary, and the Home Office will carry out biometric and security checks before travel, the Sunday Times has reported.
It is understood this will happen “in parallel” with an initiative by Project Pure Hope, a group set up to bring sick and injured Gazan children to the UK privately for treatment.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
A 15-year-old boy from Gaza brought to the UK for urgent medical treatment this week has told Sky News of his joy and relief. Majd lost part of his face as well as his entire jaw and all his teeth in a tank shell explosion.
A government spokesperson said: “We are taking forward plans to evacuate more children from Gaza who require urgent medical care, including bringing them to the UK for specialist treatment where that is the best option for their care.”
More than 50,000 children are estimated to have been killed or injured in Gaza since October 2023, according to Unicef.
So far, three children have arrived in the UK for medical treatment with the help of the charity Project Pure Hope.
Around 5,000 have been evacuated in total, with the majority going to Egypt and Gulf countries.
Sir Keir Starmer said last week that the UK was “urgently accelerating” efforts to bring children over for treatment.
The government has also pledged another £1m to help the World Health Organisation in Egypt provide medical support to evacuated Gazans.
The prime minister told the Mirror: “I know the British people are sickened by what is happening.
“The images of starvation and desperation in Gaza are utterly horrifying. We are urgently accelerating efforts to evacuate children from Gaza who need critical medical assistance – bringing more Palestinian children to the UK for specialist medical treatment.”
Read more UK news:
Inside prison doing family visits differently
UK’s most wanted man on run for 20 years
Couple relive watching hours of riot chaos
Around 100 MPs have signed a letter urging the government to fast track the scheme.
Labour MP Stella Creasy, who co-ordinated the letter, said: “The commitment we all share to help these children remains absolute and urgent – with every day, more are harmed or die, making the need to overcome any barriers to increasing the support we give them imperative.
“We stand ready to support whatever it takes to make this happen and ask for your urgent response.”
Meanwhile, Project Pure Hope has been campaigning for months to create a scheme which would allow for the evacuation of 30 to 50 children.
The charity has raised the money to bring the children and their families to the UK, and cover their medical costs, privately.
Crypto tokens have failed retail investors through insider concentration and poor design. Regulation and tokenized real-world assets offer hope for revival.
Anyone who advertises Channel crossings or fake passports on social media could face up to five years in prison under new government plans.
Research suggests about 80% of migrants arriving to the UK by small boat used internet platforms during their journey – including to contact agents linked to smuggling gangs.
While it is already illegal to assist illegal immigration, ministers hope the creation of a new offence will give police more powers and disrupt business models.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Small boat crammed with migrants in Channel
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is also planning to introduce a fast-track scheme to tackle the asylum backlog, meaning decisions will be made within weeks.
It comes as official figures show more than 25,000 people have arrived on small boats so far in 2025 – a record for this point in the year.
Ms Cooper said it is “immoral” for smugglers to sell false promises online, adding: “These criminals have no issue with leading migrants to life-threatening situations using brazen tactics on social media.
“We are determined to do everything we can to stop them, wherever they operate.”
The new offence prohibiting the online promotion of Channel crossings is set to be included in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill already going through Parliament.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
More migrants arrive in Dover
Officials from the National Crime Agency already work with tech giants to remove such posts – with more than 8,000 taken offline last year.
A Preston-based smuggler who was jailed for 17 years had posted videos of migrants thanking him for his help.
Meanwhile, Albanian smugglers have created promotions for £12,000 “package deals” which claim to offer accommodation and a job in the UK on arrival.
The Conservatives have described the measures as “too little, too late” – and say automatic deportations are the only way to tackle small boat crossings.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “Labour still has no clear plan to deter illegal entry, no effective enforcement and no strategy to speed up removals. This is a panicked attempt to look tough after months of doing nothing.”
Read more UK news:
Inside prison doing family visits differently
UK’s most wanted man on run for 20 years
Couple relive watching hours of riot chaos
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Waves and kisses from asylum hotel window
It comes as protests outside hotels believed to be housing asylum seekers continue in towns and cities across the UK.
Several demonstrators were detained – with police breaking up brief clashes – outside the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in north London yesterday.
The government is legally required to provide accommodation and subsistence to destitute asylum seekers while their claims are being decided, most of whom are prohibited from working.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike