Keir Starmer schmoozed supermodels Naomi Campbell and Dave Gandy at a No10 fashion world reception last night – as the Prime Minister faced questions over using Labour donor cash to pay for clothes.
The Prime Minister and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy hosted leading figures from the UK industry to mark 40 years of London Fashion Week.
Among the guests were designers Paul Smith, Ozwald Boateng, David Koma and Zandra Rhodes, milliner Stephen Jones and representatives from brands such as Burberry, Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham.
The PM gave a speech on the economic benefit of fashion.
It comes as Sir Keir and his wife Victoria face questions over their use of money from Lord Waheed Alli to subsidise their wardrobes.
The PM has insisted there was a ‘massive difference between declarations and corruption’ as he faced questions over his alleged failure to register clothing given to Lady Starmer by the multimillionaire businessman within a designated time limit.
She also leaned into the row yesterday, taking a front row seat at a LFW event while wearing a loaned designer outfit.
The Conservatives said it was ‘shocking’ – while Labour MPs said they were ‘not impressed’ by the move after ten million pensioners were stripped of their winter fuel payments.
The Prime Minister and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy hosted leading figures from the UK fashion industry to mark 40 years of London Fashion Week.
It comes as Sir Keir and his wife Victoria face questions over their use of money from Lord Waheed Alli to subsidise their wardrobes.
She appeared undeterred by the latest row yesterday morning, wearing a polka dot Edeline Lee two-piece and navy jacket to the brand’s fashion week show.
Both items were loaned to her by the brand, it was confirmed. The blouse and trousers are likely to be worth more than £1,000, while the jacket retails for £1,200.
It is understood Lady Starmer has received around £5,000 of high-end clothes from Lord Alli, who was already at the centre of a No 10 access scandal.
In a row dubbed ‘passes for glasses’, it emerged the former TV mogul gave Sir Keir thousands of pounds of suits and spectacles before being handed a rare Downing Street security pass .
One Labour backbencher said: ‘MPs have no idea why the Prime Minister and his wife, or any MP, would need anyone else’s money to buy their own clothes. Or why they cannot see the crass insensitivity of the timing.’
Another Labour MP said it ‘sticks in your throat when people are really, really struggling’ amid the cost of living crisis. ‘It’s the inequality which it highlights. It looks like there is hypocrisy when the person who is in charge of policy decisions that are going to impact the very poorest [takes freebies],’ they added.
Despite calls for an investigation, sources said last night that the parliamentary standards commissioner will not look into Sir Keir’s alleged rule breach for his late declaration of the gift.
Speaking to journalists travelling with him a visit to Rome yesterday, Sir Keir dismissed the idea that taxpayers should fund such expenses for PMs and their spouses.
But he suggested it would be ‘pushing it a bit far’ to deny him the right to enjoy certain kinds of hospitality.
Giving the example of football tickets, which the PM has regularly accepted as gifts, he said: ‘I’m a massive Arsenal fan. I can’t go into the stands because of security reasons.
‘Therefore, if I don’t accept a gift of hospitality, I can’t go to a game. You could say, ‘well, bad luck’. That’s why gifts have to be registered.
‘But, you know, never going to an Arsenal game again because I can’t accept hospitality is pushing it a bit far.’
The Sunday Times reported Lord Alli’s donations covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for Lady Starmer both before and after Labour’s general election win in July.
MPs are required to register gifts and donations within 28 days.
Victoria Starmer was in the front row at the Edeline Lee show during London Fashion Week yesterday, alongside TV presenter and Labour supporter June Sarpong
