UK politics live: John Major says Rwanda scheme was ‘un-British’ as Lady Starmer ‘gifted Taylor Swift tickets’

Former Tory prime minister Sir John Major has lambasted the scheme pursued by Rishi Sunak’s government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda as “un-Conservative, un-British ...

and unconscionable”. Sir John said he had not made any public pronouncements for some time because he found little to like about the last Tory government, describing the plans first set in motion by Boris Johnson to fly asylum-seekers to East Africa as worse than the 18th century deportations of convicts to Australia. His intervention came as the row over Sir Keir Starmer ’s acceptance of tens of thousands of pounds-worth of gifts continued, as The Telegraph reported that his wife Lady Victoria had accepted free Taylor Swift concert tickets.



While the pair were photographed attending the singer’s Eras tour at Wembley Stadium in June, it is alleged that Lady Victoria – and several cabinet members – also acceped free tickets to another of the star’s concerts in August. Sir Keir has been facing questions over the numerous gifts he has accepted after initially failing to declare a £5,000 donation from ex-Asos chair Lord Waheed Alli to pay for dresses for his wife..