Does Starmer realise he got revenge for his ‘freebie’ label after declining Trump’s fancy whisky gift in Scotland?

The setting is mid-summer July in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, with rugged valleys, golf courses, royal suites, fancy whisky, oh wait, cancel the whisky, tariffs might apply, in the heart of scotch pride, manufactured by American President Donald Trump.

The kerfuffle all began last month, on July 20, when Trump had enforced a 10 per cent tariff on Scotch whisky, after his meet with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and, Scottish Foreign Minister, Sir John Swinney at Trump’s own Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland, wherein he invited the two Labour leaders.

Also read: Trump may look like he's winning the trade war, but hurdles remain


Sir Keir Starmer, who was also present in the meeting, is now said to have, according to a Daily Mail article, denied a bottle of fancy whisky gifted by Trump worth 140GBP, as procedure requires him to either reject gifts worth 140GBP and above or send them back to the Foreign Office unless he/she pays the difference amount, and is then allowed to keep it.

This, according to Daily Mail, comes as a response to the tariff rhetoric of Trump against the country (Scotland).

Starmer, Swinney not new to ‘freebie’ accusations

UK’s Security Advisor David Lammy, had received at least 32,000GBP worth of gifts from Sabah Khaled Al-Hamed Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait, in July including a Chopard watch and Cartier pen, alongside FRED jewellery with an estimated value of £18,250, and £2,500 worth of perfume.

However, Lammy had sent them all back to the Foreign Office (for obvious reasons).

Earlier, this summer, Starmer was said to have taken hospitality gifts worth 1,060GBP to attend a woman’s Euro finals, the donation being allegedly paid by UEFA and FA.

By November of last year, Starmer had covered 6,000GBP of ‘freebies’ in the form of gifts or gifts above the 140GBP limit, which politicians are expected to pay off, in order to not come across as having taken a donation.

A total of 150,000GBP worth of payable tax, for restorative purposes which are sent as an order by the British government, makes even gifts from the likes of French President Emmanuel Macron (a book and pen), Keir’s wife, Lady Victoria Starmer’s gift of a leather wallet, part of the payable item list.

Also read: Trade partners grow restless waiting for Trump’s tariff breaks

Trump, the benefactor, saves Keir’s day

In what could be seen as a shot on one’s own foot, Trump managed to accept defeat from someone who’s in the spotlight for being too much of a ‘gift accepter.’

Foreign Minister John Swinney said, "I think there's a willingness for President Trump to look at the issues that I've set out to him."

"I don't think that was the position a few days ago, because I think President Trump was of the view that the trade deal was done and dusted and that was an end of the matter," to the Daily Mail.

The 10 per cent tariff is still in place with the US planning to probably reconsider the tariffs which, while in place, would cost the whisky sector of Scotland up to 4 million GBP per week, stated the Daily Mail.

Also read: EU chief announces Trump trade talks Sunday in Scotland

The July 20 meeting, according to the Daily Mail article, also unfolded several other incorrigible details of Swinney, and Starmer, dining out with Trump at MacLeod House & Lodge and his Balmedie estate on July 28, with hundreds of pounds being paid by neither Swinney, nor, Starmer, but the Scottish Government for rooms, bookings as Swinney had accepted donations worth 180,000 GBP worth of public funds for a golf tournament on Donald Trump’s Scottish courses, which made him receive a lot of backlash.