Sir Keir Starmer declined to keep signed baseball caps given to him by Donald Trump – but bought Taylor Swift merchandise he was given by the star’s record label. A record of gifts received by the Prime Minister showed the US President gave him the caps in September when the pair had dinner before Mr Trump’s election victory.
The hats have been held by the Cabinet Office, rather than purchased by Sir Keir personally. The Prime Minister also declined to pay for a watch, baseball, book and sunglasses given by Joe Biden, or a necklace and photograph for Lady Starmer offered by then-first lady Jill Biden.
But Sir Keir, who saw Shake It Off star Swift perform at Wembley, paid an undisclosed sum for merchandise donated by Universal Music Operations Ltd in August. The merchandise, given to Sir Keir on August 28, was included in a register of gifts valued at more than £140 offered to the Prime Minister.
Sir Keir was embroiled in a row over ministerial freebies over tickets to see Swift perform at Wembley on her Eras Tour, eventually paying for four tickets from Universal Music Group totalling £2,800. Another gift listed as “purchased by the minister” was the price of hiring a hat for Lady Starmer donated by Stephen Jones Millinery on August 30.
Most other ministers declined to purchase gifts they had received, leaving their departments to hold on to them. However, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy bought £806 worth of Team GB and Paralympics GB kit she had been given by the British Olympic Committee and Paralympics GB respectively.
