The Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces an investigation into breaching parliamentary rules by failing to declare that a billionaire businessman and Labour Party donor gifted high-end clothing to his wife, Victoria. The revelations published this Sunday by The Sunday Times They are more than uncomfortable for the new tenant of Downing Street, the same one who promised to clean up politics and eradicate cronyism, and who has been dubbed by his team as Mr. Rules.
The donor in question is Waheed Alliformer chairman of online fashion retailer Asos, who is worth £200m (around €240m). His influence on the Labour party dates back to the time of Tony Blair becoming the first openly gay Lord in 1998.
According to the paper, this year it has provided the prime minister with €22,000 worth of work clothes and several pairs of glasses, €23,000 for accommodation for the politician, as well as a similar sum in private office expenses during the general election last summer. While these expenses were declared, those incurred on clothing items for Victoria before and after Starmer entered Downing Street were not recorded. The paper also indicates that Labour headquarters helped to organise the delivery of the donated goods to the first lady.
“We sought advice from the authorities when we came into government. We believed we had complied[with the rules]. However, following further questions this month, we have declared more[donated]items,” a Number 10 spokesperson said. The paper also said that Starmer’s office contacted parliamentary authorities on Tuesday to register the latest donated goods. By then, the prime minister’s team had already contacted them as several designers had asked Victoria if she was interested in receiving free products, such as clothes, jewellery or make-up.
The Prime Minister’s staff reportedly inquired whether these assets would have to be declared (if accepted) and when they were told that they could, they understood that they would have to do the same with the assets that Alli had previously donated.
Initially, the Labour leader’s team thought he did not need to declare the clothing, partly on the advice he sought from parliamentary authorities in June when he accepted £4,000 worth of VIP tickets from the Football Association to see the singer’s concert. Taylor Swift at Wembley Stadium. He took his wife and children with him and was told, in accordance with hospitality rules, that he needed to declare only four tickets, rather than making declarations on their behalf. However, separate rules apply for third parties who personally receive benefits, including clothing or jewellery.
The news highlights the role of Alli, a former investment banker who opposed Brexit and the leadership of the radical Jeremy Corbynin the new government. Under Starmer, he has acquired an influence that experts say rivals that of most ministers. He has donated almost £1m to the party in two decades, although more than £500,000 of that has been donated since 2020. He is credited as a convener and donor, hosting dinner parties at his Mayfair home where politicians and businessmen mingle.
He chaired the party’s fundraising campaign in the last general election in July and, in addition to Starmer, is a donor to Angela RaynerDeputy Prime Minister; David LammyMinister of Foreign Affairs; Bridget Phillipsonresponsible for Education; and the deputy Liam Conlonson of Sue Gray, Starmer’s top aide.
