Less than three months after his landslide victory promising to restore trust in politics, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under scrutiny for accepting donations from a wealthy businessman and the high salary of his chief of staff. Starmer has denied any wrongdoing in receiving clothing and eyeglasses from media entrepreneur Waheed Alli, a longtime Labour supporter.

The chief of staff, Sue Gray, is receiving an annual salary of 170,000 pounds, slightly higher than the prime minister’s salary. This compensation is within the newly elevated pay bands for political advisers, determined independently of government interference. Despite recent complaints aired by anonymous government officials regarding Gray’s role, she remains a pivotal figure in Starmer’s administration.

Starmer’s critics, primarily from the Conservative Party and their media allies, have seized upon the donation and salary issues as an opportunity to tarnish the government’s reputation. Starmer, however, maintains that he adheres to transparency guidelines and that he and his team are working diligently to fulfill their electoral mandate.

Starmer’s acceptance of gifts, including Premier League tickets and other benefits worth over 100,000 pounds since December 2019, has raised eyebrows. Notably, Starmer’s enthusiastic support for Arsenal Football Club has led to him accepting such gifts to attend games. Despite criticisms, Starmer insists on his commitment to following regulations and delivering on his promise of change.