Starmer under fire over £20k ‘Quiet Study’ pad for son during GCSEs but timing doesn’t add up – Conservative Post

Keir Starmer has been caught in a fresh row over a £20,000 luxury accommodation stay funded by Labour peer Lord Alli, justifying the expense by claiming his son needed a quiet place to study for his GCSEs.

But official records reveal that the Starmer family’s stay in the luxury accommodation, didn’t begin until 29th May 2024—weeks after GCSE exams started on 9th May. 

Speaking to the Today Programme, Starmer said:

“My boy, 16, was in the middle of his GCSEs. I made him a promise, a promise that he would be able to get to his school, do his exams, without being disturbed. We have lots of journalists outside our house where we live and I’m not complaining about that, that’s fine. But if you’re a 16-year-old trying to do your GCSEs and it’s your one chance in life… I promised him we would move somewhere, get out of the house and go somewhere where he could be peacefully studying.”

But official records reveal that the Starmer family’s stay in a luxury accommodation, courtesy of Lord Alli’s “donation” of £20,437.28, didn’t begin until 29th May 2024—weeks after the first GCSE exam on 9th May. The final exam, meanwhile, wrapped up on 19th June, nearly a month before they checked out on 13th July.

Guido Fawkes who broke the story said: “So, how much “revision” time do you really need in a five-star pad post-GCSEs?”

The timing discrepancy has sparked backlash, with critics questioning whether the Prime Minister’s tale of academic dedication was simply a convenient cover for a cushy getaway. This latest controversy adds to mounting scrutiny over Starmer’s transparency, as questions swirl around why a political donor is footing the bill for a family holiday disguised as a study retreat.

It’s safe to say the public will want more than just heartfelt stories to justify eye-watering expenses, especially when the timing doesn’t add up.

See the official records here.