The Conservatives have been accused of hypocrisy as The London Economic can reveal a Tory frontbencher accepted free tickets and hospitality to the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month.
Shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins accepted two tickets worth an eye-watering £450 just weeks before her shadow cabinet colleagues criticised Rachel Reeves for taking up free tickets to a Sabrina Carpenter concert at the O2 in London.
The Tories brutally told the chancellor to “kick her addiction to freebies and focus on undoing the damage she’s doing to family finances”. But Kemi Badenoch’s party has now been labeled as hypocrites.
A Labour source said: “The Tories need to practise what they preach. Their 14 failed years in power should have made them realise that the public sees hypocrisy when they hear it but the delusion continues.”
Following rules, Atkins declared her freebie from Jockey Club Racecourses on her register of interests, citing them as “two tickets, which included hospitality, for the Cheltenham Festival 2025 for myself and a member of staff (value per ticket £225).”
Tory MP Peter Bedford also grabbed himself a Cheltenham freebie worth £700. His declaration reads: “Two tickets, including hospitality, at Day 2 (Wednesday) of the Cheltenham Festival 2025. Notional monetary value: £350 per ticket (including hospitality).”
After backlash from Kemi Badenoch’s party, Rachel Reeves confirmed last week that she would not make the same decision again. “I don’t have any intention of doing this again. I thought it was the right decision for my family on that occasion. But I do understand how people feel,” she told ITV.
“I understand how this seems to people. My circumstances are a bit different, but obviously, I will think carefully about any hospitality that I take and, you know, whether that seemed to be any type of conflict of interest, for example.”
Atkins and CCHQ refused to comment.
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