Keir Starmer spends almost £30,000 of taxpayer money to refurbish Downing Street flat

Sir Keir Starmer’s Downing Street flat has been furnished and renovated at a cost of around £30,000.

The Cabinet Office, which is responsible for fitting out residences in Downing Street, spent £14,319 on the renovation of Sir Keir’s flat and £15,442 on furnishing the flat.

This total of £29,761 is considerably less than the £30,000 taxpayer-funded allowance, the annual public grant allocated for the prime minister’s official residence.

A freedom of information request revealed purchases including three sofas (£4,440), a bed (£1,400), six kitchen chairs (£990), £9,000 for interior painting and £1,600 for a shower curtain.

Sir Keir’s family live at number 11, one of two ministerial offices moved after Jeremy Hunt.

The residence was previously occupied by Boris Johnson; her lavish renovation reportedly totaled more than £200,000, far exceeding the allocated grant and sparking controversy over its funding.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “The department was empty when the Prime Minister took office, so the Cabinet Office equipped the department in line with long-standing guidance between successive administrations.

“The renovation was carried out within the allocated budget and none of the items belong to the Prime Minister. They will remain the property of the Government for future use.”

The Conservatives said Labor ministers refused to say how the money was spent when asked to reveal a detailed list in parliamentary questions.

Alex Burghart, shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “They were happy to keep MPs in the dark about taxpayer-funded sofas, furniture and renovation costs until the FOI revealed the information.

“The review is important and will push the Government to make better decisions – sunlight is the best disinfectant.”