Keir Starmer has defended taking “freebies” from Arsenal Football Club, citing the “security advice” he’s received about not sitting with supporters in the stands.
According to recent reports, Starmer has accepted almost 40 sets of free tickets during his time as Labour leader, mostly to football matches that involve the football team he passionately supports, Arsenal.
Speaking to ITV Calendar on Thursday, the prime minister appeared to confirm he has now been given a box suite so his family has a secure place to watch the matches.
It comes after ITV News reported on Wednesday that Arsenal had gifted Starmer a corporate box. The football club advertises such boxes as costing nearly £9,000 per game.
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Asked to clarify his relationship with Arsenal, Starmer told ITV London that he has had “season tickets [at the club] for a long time now”.
“I’ve gone with my boy and my friends for year after year after year”, he added.
The prime minister, who conducted a series of interviews with regional radio stations on Thursday, said that since entering No 10 the security advice has changed.
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He said: “The security advice is that I can’t go to the stands. Or if I did, you’d have to go so much to the security and it would cost the taxpayer a fortune as a result. I’ve been offered tickets elsewhere in the ground where it’s more secure. We don’t have to use taxpayer money on additional security.
“And that’s why I’ve taken the decision that I have. I think most people watching this would say, well, fair to think that. I think I was pretty self-centered if I said I’d much prefer to be honest. Not all the way. I said, I’m going in the stands and you, the taxpayer, are going to have to pick up the tab for the security.”
So far, Starmer has used a box for just the first game of the season, which was Arsenal’s victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Asked if he is worried about the optics of being seen as “parliament’s king of the freebies”, Starmer welcomed the opportunity to “explain the situation”.
Referring back to his previous answer, Starmer insisted that “most people would say that that’s a pretty fair argument.”
He dismissed the view that he should “cause a fuss and insist on going in the stands where in the end it’s the taxpayer who’s going to have to pick up the tab for the extra security”.
He went on: “I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t think I can impose that on the taxpayer. So I’ve taken up the offer to sit elsewhere in the stands so I can still see Arsenal play because I’ve been going for many, many years to see them on a regular basis, and I intend to continue to do so.”
Questioned on this same point by BBC Yorkshire, Starmer insisted that it was “common sense” for him to watch Arsenal games from a corporate area.
The prime minister said: “Since I’ve been PM the security advice is don’t go in the stands, not least because it’ll cost a fortune to the taxpayer in security police officers if you choose to go in the stands.”
He continued: “I’ve taken that advice, I’ve been offered a ticket somewhere else. Frankly I’d rather be in the stands but I’m not going to ask the taxpayer to indulge me to be in the stands when I could go and sit somewhere else where the club and the security say it’s safer for me to be. That is for me a common sense situation.”
“I’m a life-long Arsenal fan. I’ve been going for years and years and years and it’s a real passion of mine and I can go with my boy.”
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