Starmer presses PM over ‘£ 130m spent on PR companies this year’
SIR KEIR Starmer urged Boris Johnson to spend taxpayers’ cash wisely after accusing the Government of spending at least £ 130m on PR companies this year.
The Labour leader also pressed the Prime Minister over transparency measures in place for contracts awarded during the Covid- 19 pandemic.
The Opposition cited Cabinet Office data as showing the communications company spend between January and September, adding the total does not include the cost of special advisers and civil servants working on press matters.
Mr Johnson defended the Government’s spending, including the reported £ 670,000 contract for public relations support for the vaccine taskforce.
The Prime Minister also insisted science has given the country “two big boxing gloves” in the form of a possible vaccine and testing, adding: “Neither of them is capable of delivering a knockout blow on its own.
“That’s why this country needs to continue to work hard to keep discipline and to observe the measures we’ve put in.”
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said a £ 6m package for Armed Forces charities was “insufficient”, and added: “Can I ask the Prime Minister to reconsider that support on their behalf?
“Because at the same time, we’ve all seen this weekend that the Government can find £ 670,000 for PR consultants. That’s the tip of the iceberg.
“New research today shows that the Government has spent at least £ 130m of taxpayers’ money on PR companies, and that’s this year alone. Does the Prime Minister think that that’s a reasonable use of taxpayers’ money?”
Mr Johnson replied: “I think he’s referring to the vaccine task force and after days in which the Labour Party has attacked the vaccine task force, I think it might be in order for him to pay tribute to them for securing 40 million doses.
“The expenditure to which he refers was to help raise awareness of vaccines, to fight the antivaxxers and to persuade the people of this country – 300,000 – to take part in trials without which we can’t have vaccines.”