A Christian Labour peer has told Premier Christian Radio that backlash against the Prime Minister for accepting gifts from party donors is nothing more than “a storm in a teacup”.

Rev Dr Leslie Griffiths, former President of the Methodist Conference and chief Labour whip in the House of Lords said:

“Interest [in donations] has been stirred up by a certain part of the British press, who just wait for things like this like vultures for a corpse, and then swoop down and do their worst.

“I think it’s a storm in a teacup, frankly, compared to what happened during Covid in Number 10 Downing Street.”

Sir Keir Starmer revealed that he accepted the gift of accommodation worth over £20,000 from Baron Alli, a Labour peer who is one of the few openly gay Muslim politicians in the world, to help his son get through GCSEs with press intrusion on the family home. 

He told Sky News: "Do I find protestors outside my front door when my children are in there? Yes, I do. Do I want my son doing his GCSEs walking through journalists [and] protestors? No, I don't."

Sir Keir has also accepted Arsenal hospitality tickets, as well clothes for his wife paid for by Baron Alli.

This is getting silly now. Leave his kids out of it, and stop blowing things out of proportion. There is bad behaviour amongst some politicians, but this constant pearl clutching at everything undermines trust to an unjustified and dangerous extent. Try reporting some news. https://t.co/rOPnWS1PEK

— Tim Farron (@timfarron) September 25, 2024

Christian MP and former leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron echoed Griffiths’ sentiment, posting on X: “This is getting silly now… There is bad behaviour by some MPs but this constant pearl clutching at everything undermines trust to an unjustified and dangerous extent.”

Rev Dr Griffiths told Premier: “I think this issue is small, it is trivial. We shouldn’t be paying much attention to it.”