Hospitality tickets to Taylor Swift and Premier League football games are among 'freebies' MPs from the North East have declared.

It comes amid a row about the Prime Minister's clothing as Keir Starmer confirmed he would no longer accept gifts of suits after backlash from the public.

According to the Register of MPs' Interests, 12 North East MPs have accepted gifts including holidays, event tickets and foreign trips.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing and all donations were declared through the Parliamentary register of interests.

Here is a full list of the MPs in the North East that have declared gifts, unrelated to their election campaigns:

Sam Rushworth, Bishop Auckland - Labour

Mr Rushworth accepted a trip to Sri Lanka for the purpose of 'visits to UK Aid funded projects and meetings with political leaders from multiple parties.'

Flights, accommodation and meals were provided to the total value of £3,323.48.

The trip took place before the General Election was called.

Anna Turley, Redcar - Labour

Returning Labour MP for Redcar Anna Turley was gifted two hospitality tickets to Arsenal v Everton in May, again before the election was called.

These tickets, given by the Premier League, were valued at £900.

Kevin Hollinrake, Thirsk and Malton - Conservative

Mr Hollinrake received two tickets for the Grand National Chairman's Lunch less than 10 days after the election took place.

These were gifted by the Jockey Club and were worth £1,800.

Rishi Sunak, Richmond and Northallerton - Conservative

The former Prime Minister registered four separate gifts of private helicopter flights - two during the election campaign and two for 'political events' before that date.

They were donated to Mr Sunak by The Phoenix Partnership and Mr Richard Harpin. 

The combined total cost for the four helicopter ride donations was £32,115.25.

Most read

Our flash sale is still on – 30% off an annual subscription. Get unlimited access to local news, enjoy our ad-free mobile and tablet app and read the replica of the paper on your device. Subscribe before it's too late!

Joe Morris, Hexham - Labour

New MP Joe Morris was gifted two tickets to Wembley Stadium to see Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.

These tickets were gifted by the Premier League and valued at £1,660.

Bridget Phillipson, Houghton and Sunderland South - Labour

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has accepted several gifts including hotel stays and Taylor Swift tickets. 

There have been two donations to the Education Secretary since the election. The All England Lawn Tennis Club (Championships) Limited donated two tickets in the Royal Box at Wimbledon, valued at £1,060.

While The Football Association provided tickets and hospitality for Taylor Swift at Wembley, valued at £522.54.

There were more donations noted before the election took place.

Lord Waheed Alli donated a combined £14,000 to host several events on behalf of the Shadow Education Team

The National Theatre donated two theatre tickets plus hospitality at a drinks reception, valued at £204. England and Wales Cricket Board provided three Ashes Test tickets, valued at £345.

Nova International Ltd donated entry to the Great North Run and hospitality, valued at £586. The Confederation of School Trusts donated a dinner for three people, valued at £403.20.

Matt Williams donated a hotel room and transport for a fundraising event, valued at £589. ELNET UK donated transport, accommodation, and meals for a parliamentary staff member for a tour to Israel and Palestine, valued at £3,000.

The total value of Ms Phillipson's declarations was £20,709.74.

Kate Osborne, Jarrow and Gateshead East - Labour

Ms Osborne was gifted tickets a Crystal Palace match and an England Women's football game. Both of the donations were before the election was called. The total value of the tickets to both events was £600.

Chi Onwurah, Newcastle Central and West - Labour

Newly-elected chair of the Science Select Committee, Chi Onwurah, declared several gifts before the date of the election.

The BVCA donated a ticket to the BVCA Gala Dinner, valued at £594. PRS for Music provided a ticket with hospitality to Lang Lang and Dinner at the Royal Albert Hall, valued at £332.33.

Keith Brewis donated a corporate ticket to the Newcastle United vs. Manchester United match, valued at £780.

In late 2023, The Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit covered accommodation, flight, and subsistence for a trip to the United Arab Emirates, valued at £1,519.65 - Ms Onwurah attended 'as part of a Labour Climate and Environment Forum delegation to COP28.'

Catherine McKinnell, Newcastle North - Labour

The Education minister received three hospitality tickets, one to a Newcastle game in April, and the other two to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.

The Newcastle United tickets were donated by Stephenson-Mohl Group and the Swift tickets were donated by the Premier League.

Emma Lewell-Buck, South Shields - Labour

In August, the MP for South Shields accepted two hospitality tickets to the Edinburgh Tattoo from the organisers of the event which had the value of £600.

Sharon Hodgson, Washington and Gateshead South - Labour

Mrs Hodgson received several gifts of foreign trips before the election.

Labour Friends of Israel funded flights, accommodation, and meals for a fact-finding visit to Israel and Palestine, valued at £2,200, and the same group also provided flights, accommodation, and meals for a delegation to Washington DC, valued at £2,050.

The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs covered flights, accommodation, and meals for a delegation to Taiwan, valued at £6,832.

None of the other MPs in the region were listed as registering gifts in the August or September registers of interest.

A previous version of this article stated that Mary Glindon MP had received a holiday as a gift. This was an error. We are happy to clarify that Mrs Glindon has received no hospitality to register as a member’s interest.