By The Guardian (World News) | Created at 2024-09-27 17:20:12 | Updated at 2024-09-30 09:40:21
2 days ago
Keir Starmer was given a further £16,000 worth of clothes by the Labour peer Waheed Alli, which was declared as money for his private office, the Guardian can reveal.
The donations, comprising £10,000 in October 2023 and £6,000 in February 2024, bring the total amount in gifted clothes to £32,000.
These latest gifts were not previously known about as they were described as “for the private office of the leader of the opposition”.
It is understood Starmer has since sought advice from the registrar of MP’s interests and the donations will be recategorised as donations in kind of clothing. The original donations were declared on time.
The prime minister has been under pressure for weeks over support given by Lord Alli, a media businessman, which also included more than £2,400 for glasses and the temporary use of a £18m penthouse during the election campaign.
He has also been criticised for accepting tens of thousands of pounds of football and concert ticket freebies while leader of the opposition. His wife, Victoria, also received clothes as donations, as did Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, and Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister.
Keir Starmer, Reeves and Rayner have all since said they will no longer accept clothes while in office.
