Keir Starmer’s promise of a fresh break with Tory sleaze was dented by news he’d accepted clothing and concert tickets from a Labour donor. The Guardian’s political editor assesses the longer term damage

There is an old maxim in Westminster that scandals are not exposed, they are simply noticed. It applied to the expenses scandal that rocked public faith in the political system more than a decade ago, and to many since, from the Pestminster sexual misconduct scandal to Partygate.

The same was true of the freebies row. And while there was no evidence in this instance that parliamentary rules had been broken, or that improper favours had been sought by those who offered the gifts, it created a huge political headache for Labour when it was noticed.