Gary Neville Defends Sir Keir Starmer Over Football Freebies Controversy

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Former Manchester United footballer and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has come to the defense of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has faced criticism from Tory MPs for accepting football-related gifts. Starmer declared receiving £12,588 in gifts from the Premier League, including over £6,000 worth of tickets for Arsenal matches. The focus on this issue has been heavily scrutinized, but Neville, a long-time Labour supporter, believes it is blown out of proportion.

 

In an interview with Sky News at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Neville expressed his surprise at the level of attention the story has garnered. “I'm startled at the amounts of scrutiny that this has received,” he said. He also emphasized that attending Arsenal matches is one of Starmer's few outlets from his demanding political career. "It's well out of proportion. Everybody has known that Keir Starmer, with his family, has gone and watched Arsenal. He has paid for season tickets for decades. It's one of his main releases every single week. The only release, actually."

 

Neville, who captained Manchester United and earned 85 caps for England, also recalled a personal conversation he had with Starmer two years ago at the Labour Party conference. "When I spoke to him two years ago... he said the one moment he has each week is when he goes to Arsenal with his boys," Neville shared. He added that Starmer has consistently paid for his tickets but now faces different security arrangements as prime minister. "He's now being told by security detail he can't sit in those same seats. He's being told that he needs to go into a hospitality box as prime minister."

 

Neville questioned why there should be an issue with Starmer sitting in a hospitality box, considering how common it is for high-profile figures to enjoy such privileges at football matches. "We've seen so many people being wined and dined at football grounds over the last 10, 15, 20 years in directors' boxes and hospitality boxes and never said a word. And a genuine fan of a football club that goes with his children can't now go and watch his football team when he's the prime minister of the country is just a nonsense to me."

 

The football pundit also highlighted what he sees as an inconsistency in the scrutiny politicians face, comparing Starmer's situation to other controversial actions by the Conservative government. He specifically mentioned the use of a £40 million helicopter contract and VIP lanes for suppliers during the COVID-19 pandemic under Rishi Sunak's leadership. "That didn't get anywhere near the same level of scrutiny," Neville noted, calling the situation "bizarre."

 

Based on a report from: Sky News 2024-09-25