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Taxpayers paid £160,000 for Sir Keir’s chauffeured car

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Labour has been talking a lot about taxpayers’ money in recent days, following the release of their much-hyped ‘GPC files’ about government procurement cards. There’s been much criticism about the use of luxury hotels, fine art and branded merchandise. All good, worthy stuff. But in the interest of balance, Mr S thinks it’s worth reminding readers that Labour’s leading lights haven’t always been the most prudent when it comes to spending taxpayers’ money.

Steerpike has already highlighted Angela Rayner’s decision to put £249 branded Airpods on her parliamentary expenses. And Sir Keir Starmer is not exempt from criticism either. Back when he was Director of Public Prosecutions, he came under fire for claiming more than £250 a day in expenses for a chauffeur driven car. Between 2008 and 2010 he was claiming up to £8,000 a month for use of a Toyota Prius and a driver on top of claims for flights and trains.

Records released under Freedom of Information laws show that between the beginning of October 2008 and the end of September 2009, Starmer claimed just over £90,000 in 12 months for the use of his official car. He was reported at the time to be using ‘the car and driver for journeys including the 3.9 mile commute from his home in north west London, to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) London office in Ludgate Hill in the City.’ A subsequent report by Declassified put the total cost of his car and driver usage at more than £160,000.

At the time the CPS defended the use of the car on the grounds of sensitivity, arguing there was a ‘need for him to make decisions in high profile and controversial cases’ requiring him to ‘consider classified papers and take sensitive phone calls while travelling.’ And when Mr S asked Labour today for comment on the six-figure spend, a spokesperson for the Leader of the Opposition said: 

As the country’s most senior prosecutor, Keir Starmer’s work getting criminals off the streets, locking up terrorists and securing justice for victims involved frequent travel.

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Steerpike
Written by
Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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