A Labour peer at the heart of a donations row distracting from the party’s conference has refused to answer questions on the issue.
Lord Waheed Alli, a TV executive who has donated to the party for 20 years, has become a focus of Labour’s conference in Liverpool after Sky News’ Westminster Accounts project revealed last week that Sir Keir Starmer received more freebies than any other MP since becoming Labour leader.
Of £107,000 worth of gifts and hospitality handed to Sir Keir since December 2019, Lord Alli gave him the equivalent of £39,122.
He has also donated to other Labour MPs, including £14,000 for work events to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and he let Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner stay at his New York home over New Year’s Eve.
The prime minister has come under fire for the number of donations he has accepted and declared after being highly critical of the Conservatives accepting donations.
Lord Alli, 59, a former chair of online fashion giant Asos, has remained under the radar but Sky News’ political correspondent Liz Bates bumped into him at the conference on Tuesday morning.
She asked him if he regrets making any of the donations, but the peer put his hand up to the phone she was filming him on and turned away, refusing to speak.
Liz said he only had one member of staff with him. “He was clearly trying to keep a low profile,” she said.
“He turned away from me and was completely silent, clearly not wanting to speak publicly.”
When another Sky News correspondent saw him yesterday and asked about the controversy, he said: “Please don’t – this is not very nice.”
This year alone, Sir Keir has received – and disclosed – nearly £19,000 worth of work clothes and several pairs of glasses from Lord Alli, who worked as the party’s chief fundraiser for the general election.
In addition, the peer, whose personal wealth is estimated at £200m, spent £20,000 on accommodation for the now prime minister during the election and a similar sum on “private office” costs, which was also disclosed.
Sir Keir, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Ms Rayner have all said they will not accept any more free clothes from donors.
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Senior cabinet minister Pat McFadden defended Lord Alli’s donations, telling Sky News: “Waheed Alli’s been a generous supporter of the Labour Party for many years, I’ve known him for many years, he doesn’t want anything.”
Mr McFadden also said he does not think Sir Keir accepting donations “is sleazy stuff” as it was “all properly declared”.
Lord Alli was ennobled by Sir Tony Blair in 1998 and hired by Sir Keir in 2022.
