Sir Keir Starmer is facing an investigation over a potential rules breach after a controversial Labour donor paid for his wife’s clothes.
The prime minister is reported to have failed to declare donations of clothing for his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer, from Waheed Alli, who has given more than £500,000 to Labour over the last 20 years.
The gifts from Lord Alli were not initially declared in the register of MPs’ interests.
The Sunday Times reported that the prime minister approached the parliamentary authorities on Tuesday to make a late declaration after being given updated advice on what needed to be registered.
Labour’s foreign secretary David Lammy said Sir Keir relied on donations because he wants himself and his wife to “look their best” on behalf of the British public. And he appeared to complain that Britain does not have a similar system to the US, where the president and first lady can use taxpayers’ cash to refresh their wardrobes.
“We don’t have that system over here. The truth is that successive prime ministers, unless you’re a billionaire like the last one, do rely on donations, political donations, so they can look their best,” he told the BBC.
The Tories have called for a full investigation into the Starmers’ links with prominent Labour donor Lord Alli.
It comes after the PM faced pressure to reveal who authorised a Downing Street security pass for Lord Alli, as the government was plunged into a cronyism row.
The row was dubbed the “passes for glasses” affair because Lord Alli has previously donated tens of thousands of pounds worth of clothing, accommodation and “multiple pairs” of spectacles to the Labour leader.
The Sunday Times said the donations to the PM’s wife covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for Lady Starmer both before and after Labour’s election win in July.
MPs are required to register gifts and donations within 28 days.
A No 10 spokeswoman said: “We sought advice from the authorities on coming to office.
“We believed we had been compliant, however, following further interrogation this month, we have declared further items.”
The guide to the Commons rules states MPs should register “any benefit given to any third party, whether or not this accompanied a benefit for him or her, if the Member is aware, or could reasonably be expected to be aware, of the benefit and that it was given because of his or her membership of the House or parliamentary or political activities”.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “It’s taken just 10 weeks for Keir Starmer to face an investigation for his conduct.
“After facing allegations of cronyism and now apparent serious breaches of parliamentary rules there must be a full investigation into the passes for glasses scandal.
“No doubt the millions of vulnerable pensioners across the country who face choosing between heating and eating would jump at the chance for free clothes just to keep warm in the face of Labour’s cruel cut.”
