Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer made a lighthearted quip about using a Labour donor’s £18 million Covent Garden penthouse to welcome US business leaders, as he sought to attract investment to the UK.
Starmer met with executives from major American firms, including Blackstone, Macquarie Group and Bank of America, at an event overlooking the East River in New York. The Prime Minister told the US business chiefs he wanted to “turbocharge” the British economy and pitched the UK as open for investment.
In a playful moment, Starmer joked that he wished he could “pretend this is my apartment” to greet the executives, referencing his previous use of Labour donor Lord Alli’s luxury flat to film a Covid-era broadcast urging the public to work from home.
The Prime Minister did not formally declare his use of the penthouse, as he had not stayed overnight. Downing Street said the stay did not meet the £300 threshold for declaration.
Starmer’s comments came as the government announced a £10 billion investment by US firm Blackstone to build a major new data centre in the North East, which the Prime Minister hailed as a “huge vote of confidence” in post-Brexit Britain.
The Prime Minister is in New York for the UN General Assembly, where he is set to deliver a speech outlining his vision for the UK’s role on the global stage.
