Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria are accepting clothing donations because there is no taxpayer funding to cover the costs of the UK leaders’ wardrobe, David Lammy has said.
The Foreign Secretary said the couple accepted donations so they could “look their best” when representing the UK, at a time when other countries are buying clothes for their leaders at generous taxpayer expense.
The Prime Minister is alleged to have breached parliamentary rules by failing to report donations of clothing for his wife within a set time limit. The gifts, from prominent Labour donor Lord Alli, were not initially declared on the MPs’ register of interests.
The Prime Minister approached parliamentary officials on Tuesday to make a late statement after receiving updated advice on what needed to be recorded, The Sunday Times reported.
The donations helped pay for Lady Starmer’s personal shopping bag, clothes and renovations before and after Labour’s election victory in July.
The Conservatives have demanded a full investigation into Starmer’s links to Lord Alli, with MPs required to register gifts and donations within 28 days.
Mr Lammy told the BBC’s Sunday programme with Laura Kuenssberg: “The Prime Minister disclosed the funds he received from Lord Alli, then went back to the parliamentary committee to check further the details of some of the funds that reached his wife.
“He did that and he’s trying to follow the rules. So it’s not a matter of transparency. He’s trying to be transparent.”
He added: “I just came back from the United States, where US presidents and first ladies have a huge budget paid for by the taxpayer to look their best for the people of the United States. We don’t have that system.
“The truth is, unless you are a billionaire like the previous one, successive prime ministers rely on donations, political donations, so that they can look their best, both in the hope of representing the country if you are in opposition, and as prime minister.”
The US president’s salary is around £305,000 ($400,000) and his allowance is around £38,100, but there is no specific budget for clothing.
Sir Keir had a prominent legal career before entering politics and Mr Lammy said: “I’m not saying the prime minister is bankrupt” but “successive prime ministers want to look the best for the country – and as partners – that’s the whole point behind this”.
A spokesman for Troop No 10 said: “We have sought advice from the authorities on taking up the post.
“We believed we were in compliance, but after further questioning this month we declared more items.”
The House of Commons rules guide states that MPs must record “any benefit given to a third party, whether or not the benefit is conferred on the member himself or herself, provided the member is aware of the benefit or could reasonably have been expected to be aware of it and the benefit is conferred by reason of his or her membership of the House or his or her parliamentary or political activities.”
Lord Alli’s relationship with the Labour leader has already been controversial after it emerged he was given security clearance in Downing Street despite having no role in government.
The row has been dubbed the “pass for glasses” affair because Lord Alli had previously donated tens of thousands of pounds worth of clothes, accommodation and “multiple” glasses to the Labour leader.
‘Serious breaches of rules’
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “It has taken just 10 weeks for Keir Starmer to be investigated for his conduct.
“After facing allegations of nepotism and now a clear serious breach of parliamentary rules, there must be a full investigation into the spectacle pass scandal.
“There is no doubt that millions of vulnerable pensioners across the country, forced to choose between heating and food, would jump at the chance to get free clothes to keep warm in the face of Labour’s draconian cuts.”
Conservative leadership hopeful James Cleverly told Sky News: “What we need to recognise is Keir Starmer and Sue Gray. [his chief of staff] I’ve been very, very critical of the Conservatives on exactly this issue – now if your position is that ‘these things happen’ and we need to be thoughtful and flexible in our response, that’s fine.
“But if you have criticised the Conservatives really aggressively on this issue, as Keir Starmer has, then you have to make sure you are absolutely blameless and he has failed to do that.
“So I think it’s absolutely legitimate for us to point out the hypocrisy of someone who basically gets his job by criticizing others.”