UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer received more clothes donations worth £16,000 from Labour peer Lord Alli, according to new reports. The donations, initially categorized as funds for his private office during his time as Leader of the Opposition, were reclassified as clothing donations following advice sought by Downing Street.
The gifts, valued at £10,000 in October 2023 and £6,000 in February 2024, were declared on time but are now recorded as donations in kind for clothing. Sir Keir has maintained that he adhered to all rules and regulations regarding these declarations. He, along with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, has stated that they will no longer accept clothing donations.
Last week, Sir Keir explained to the media that the donations were received during a “busy election campaign” when he was in opposition. He acknowledged the issue, saying, “I won’t be making declarations in relation to clothing again.”
The controversy surrounding these donations has persisted since Labour’s landslide victory in the July general election. Lord Alli, a long-time supporter and donor of the Labour leader, found himself at the center of scrutiny when it was revealed in August that he had been issued a temporary Downing Street security pass despite holding no formal government position.
In addition to the £16,000 worth of clothing, Lord Alli also donated £2,485 for multiple pairs of glasses for Sir Keir. The prime minister has further defended accepting £20,000 worth of accommodation from Lord Alli during the election campaign, which allowed his son to prepare for his GCSEs away from the media presence outside their home.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) has called for an investigation into these donations. SNP MP Brendan O’Hara wrote to the standards commissioners and other officials, describing the situation as “Sir Keir Starmer’s version of the expenses scandal.” O’Hara warned that if the issue is not “comprehensively investigated,” it could lead to an ongoing series of damaging revelations that would erode public trust.
These donation-related controversies overshadowed the start of Labour’s annual conference last week. Sir Keir is not alone in facing scrutiny over gifts and freebies—many MPs across the Commons have also listed free tickets to sports and cultural events in their registers of interests over the past year.
