"You pledged to put 'country first, party second'."
It has emerged that Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli gave Sir Keir Starmer another £16,000 worth of clothes, as the freebies row escalated.
One donation of £10,000 in October 2023 and another for £6,000 in February 2024 were quietly “recategorised” by Downing Street.
It brings the total accepted by the PM from Lord Alli for clothing to £32,000. He also accepted more than £2,400 for several pairs of glasses.
It comes amid mounting questions over Sir Keir’s use of Lord Alli’s £18 million penthouse in Central London, including he and his family living there during the election.
For a near seven-week stay, the freebie was valued at £20,437.
The latest clothing donation was originally recorded in the MPs’ register of interests as support “for the private office of the leader of the opposition’, as he was not PM at the time.
The donation was revealed to be clothing on September 26, 2024.
It is understood that following further advice given to No 10, it sought a “recategorisation” of the donations.
Other Cabinet ministers have received donations.
In November 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner registered an £8,500 donation from Lord Alli, listed as a “donation to support me in my capacity as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party”.
Another for £8,250, registered in April 2024, was listed the same.
Tory frontbencher John Glen, Shadow Paymaster General, wrote a letter, accusing Sir Keir Starmer of “empty promises” and “hypocrisy”.
Mr Glen wrote: “You pledged to put ‘country first, party second’.
“Actions speak louder than words. In recent weeks, the scandals over Lord Alli, Sue Gray [earning more than the PM] and appointments to the Civil Service have exposed these promises as empty and hypocritical.'”
Labour refused to answer questions about Lord Alli being given a Downing Street pass to attend meetings on the grounds of national security. The pass has since been withdrawn.
In his letter, Mr Glen added: “It is incredulous to claim that it would compromise national security to disclose which political figure authorised his pass, when it was given, and when it was returned.”
Sir Keir also had to defend himself for using Lord Alli’s apartment to record two clips.
He was sat at a desk with a family picture on the shelves behind him, creating the impression he was at home.
This led to accusations the PM tried to “hoodwink” the public.
He also faced backlash for staying at the apartment, which he said was to allow for his son to study for his GCSEs “in peace”.
The stay was valued at £20,437.28.
Critics have accused the Prime Minister of undervaluing the gift, with smaller nearby properties commanding £30,000 a month in rent.
Sir Keir is also facing questions about other times Lord Alli may have made properties available to the party.
Approximately 23 donations for “hospitality” from the peer – worth £55,000 – were recorded by the Electoral Commission, made to Labour.
The party refused to say what the donations related to.
The PM has received more freebies than any other MP since becoming Labour leader – £107,145 worth since 2019.
A Labour spokesman said: “All donations are declared in accordance with Parliamentary and Electoral Commission rules.”
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