The foreign secretary, David Lammy, has suggested it is routine for political donors to pay for outfits for prime ministers and their spouses, in a row over the late declaration of funds for a personal shopper and clothes for Keir Starmer’s wife, Victoria.
The donations by the Labour donor Waheed Alli, which paid for clothing for Victoria Starmer, were not initially declared in the register of MPs’ interests, the Sunday Times reported. The gift was registered late, after Starmer approached the parliamentary authorities on Tuesday following advice.
In an interview for the BBC, Lammy said donations were accepted so the Labour leader and his wife could “look their best”.
Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Lammy noted the generous expense allowance available to US presidents.
He said: “I’ve just come back from the United States, where US presidents and first ladies have a huge budget paid for by the taxpayer so that they look their best on behalf of the US people. We don’t have that system over here.”
The US president receives a salary of about £305,000 ($400,000) and a £38,000 ($50,000) expense allowance, although there is no specific clothing budget for presidents or their spouses.
The Tories demanded a full investigation into the Starmers’ links with Lord Alli.
Lammy said Starmer’s actions had been transparent. He said: “The prime minister did declare funds that he received from Lord Alli, he’s then gone back to the parliamentary commissioner to further check details on some of those funds that have made their way to his wife.
“So he has done that, and he is seeking to comply with the rules. So this is not an issue of transparency. He is attempting to be transparent.”
Lammy added: “The truth is that successive prime ministers, unless you’re a billionaire like the last one, do rely on donations, political donations, so they can look their best, both in the hope of representing the country, if you’re in the opposition, or indeed as prime minister.”
Starmer had a high-profile legal career before entering politics. Lammy said he was “not suggesting the prime minister is broke”, but that “successive prime ministers want to look their best – and their partners – for the country. That is what lies behind this.”
The Sunday Times reported that the donations covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for Lady Starmer before and after Labour’s election win in July.
MPs are required to register gifts and donations within 28 days.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “We sought advice from the authorities on coming to office.
“We believed we had been compliant, however, following further interrogation this month, we have declared further items.”
Alli’s involvement with the Labour leader has already proved controversial after it emerged he had been given a Downing Street security pass, apparently without having a government role.
The row was called “passes for glasses” because Alli had donated tens of thousands of pounds for clothing, accommodation and “multiple pairs” of spectacles for the Labour leader.
A Conservative party spokesperson said: “It’s taken just 10 weeks for Keir Starmer to face an investigation for his conduct.
“After facing allegations of cronyism and now apparent serious breaches of parliamentary rules, there must be a full investigation into the passes for glasses scandal.”
