Labour's Special Advisers Accept Over 700 Freebies from Corporate Interests
Labour's special advisers have accepted over 700 freebies from corporations and lobbying firms since the party took power in 2024. The gifts include paid meals, event invitations, and luxury accommodations, but there is no public record of what was discussed at these events.
The investigation by Democracy for Sale found that Varun Chandra, the prime minister's chief business adviser, accepted the most hospitality with 47 declarations, including from firms like Goldman Sachs and OpenAI. Matthew Doyle, a former communications chief to Keir Starmer, accepted 26 gifts, including tickets to Wimbledon and a Taylor Swift concert.
Lobbying firms entertained special advisers more than 80 times, with some companies providing repeated hospitality. YouTube provided overnight accommodation for two Department of Culture, Media and Sport advisers who attended the Brit Awards this year. The company also hosted an 'away day with lunch' for nine Treasury spads.
Google provided hospitality to advisers across Whitehall, including a one-night stay at the luxury Soho Farmhouse for a special adviser in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The aviation industry regularly hosted transport advisers, with Department of Transport spads declaring meals with airlines and airports.
A spokesperson for Downing Street said robust processes were in place to manage potential conflicts of interest, but critics argue that this is not enough. Lib Dem MP Luke Taylor called for special advisers to be brought under the same lobbying rules as ministers and permanent secretaries.