PM Keir Starmer will no longer accept donations for clothes

Sir Keir Starmer, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves will not accept any further donations for clothing after a row over gifts, a Downing Street source has said.

The prime minister has faced growing criticism after it emerged he had received more than £16,000 for work clothing and spectacles for him, and further money for his wife, from Labour peer Waheed Alli.

The Financial Times has reported that Ms Rayner and Ms Reeves declared thousands of pounds in work clothing from wealthy donors as general office support.

The prime minister has maintained he has always followed the rules on donations.

The relationship between the Labour’s leadership and Lord Alli, a wealthy donor made head of party fundraising, has come under renewed scrutiny since it was revealed earlier this week that Sir Keir initially failed to declare £16,200 in clothing gifts for him and £5,000 for his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer.

The Conservatives asked Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg to investigate why gifts for a personal shopper and clothing alterations were not declared in the MPs’ register, but no investigation was launched.
Sir Keir is one of seven cabinet ministers who received donations and gifts from Lord Alli in the lead-up to the 4 July general election.

On Friday, the Financial Times reported a £3,550 donation to Rayner by Lord Alli registered as “to support me in my capacity as deputy leader of the Labour party” was for clothing.

In addition, the paper revealed that Reeves received £7,500 from a donor, Juliet Rosenfeld, in four instalments from January 2023 to May 2024, which it said was used to pay for clothing.
Angela Rayner