Andy Burnham paid to keep a bracelet his wife was given by Brigitte Macron – but did get a £140 discount.
The wife of French president Emmanuel Macron gifted the jewellery during a visit to mark the Bayeux Tapestry’s arrival in London.
Details released by the Cabinet Office only state that the value was above the £140 registration threshold.
Ministers can choose whether to keep such gifts, or leave them in the hands of Whitehall.
If they keep them they have to pay the value into Government coffers – but only the amount over £140.
Mr Burnham was given a bottle of wine and a pen by Mr Macron, according to the transparency log. However, that was listed as ‘held by department’.
Andy Burnham paid to keep a bracelet his wife was given by Brigitte Macron last month – but did get a £140 discount. Pictured, the couples at Downing Street
Mr Burnham gave the French president and his wife a wool blanket in return.
Maple syrup and a wooden bowl Mr Burnham was given by Canadian counterpart Mark Carney last month were also kept by No10.
The only gift received by the Prime Minister in the latest issue of the register that was given a monetary value was a book about the Bayeux Tapestry from the British Museum.
It was worth £150, but stayed with Downing Street instead of being claimed by Mr Burnham personally.
Gifts from foreign leaders and dignitaries can be a minefield for ministers.
When he was PM, Keir Starmer paid to keep a personalised pair of cufflinks he received from Donald Trump during the US president’s state visit.
But he gave them to his teenage son.
In 2009, Gordon Brown offered Barack Obama an oak pen stand carved from the timbers of HMS Gannet – which spearheaded the Royal Navy’s bid to end the slave trade.
Its sister ship had provided the wood for the desk in the Oval Office, in a further thoughtful touch.
In return, Mr Brown received a DVD set of 25 classic American films, including the Wizard of Oz.
Unfortunately, he was unable to watch them as they were not compatible with UK DVD players.
In 2009, Gordon Brown offered Barack Obama an oak pen stand carved from the timbers of HMS Gannet – which spearheaded the Royal Navy’s campaign against the slave trade. The PM received a DVD set in return
