Labour donor row: Government says Lord Waheed Alli had short-term pass to Number 10

The government told Sky News that a Labour donor who gave the party more than £500,000 was briefly allowed to stay at Number 10.

The Sunday Times reported that Lord Waheed Alli, a television executive, made a donation to Work For the past 20 years, he has been given a pass allowing him access to Downing Street despite not holding an official government position.

The Labour Party said he had attended several political meetings where no civil servants were present, adding that he had handed in his leave at the end of July.

According to a Government source, the fact that Lord Alli had a pass was “entirely in line with regulations and was nothing out of the ordinary”.

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Minister Pat McFadden said: “I don’t think it’s unusual for people to have passes that allow them to attend political meetings if they need to.

“I don’t think he has a pass now, but he might have had one in the past.”

Lord Alli was knighted by Tony Blair in 1998. He also served as the party’s chief fundraiser for the general election, having been hired by Sir Keir Starmer in 2022.

Sky News analysis of westminster accounts Earlier this year it was revealed that Lord Alli had donated £100,000 Mr. Keir for his 2020 Labour Party leadership campaign.

Read more:
‘It’s going to get worse,’ Starmer said
Tax rises Labour could introduce in the Budget

In response to the reports in The Sunday Times, John Glen, the shadow finance minister, said: “It is disappointing that the Labour Party is only trying to act on its culture of cronyism after facing pressure from the media.

“The corrupt Starmer is swallowing up this new government and it is time for Labour to own up to all the people it has dumped into top civil service jobs and the donors it has paid back to preserve the independence and integrity of the civil service.”

Shadow Security Minister and Conservative leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat said: “The Prime Minister and Chancellor spent years in opposition preaching about standards in public life. Now in government, the moment the votes have been counted, their story has changed and we see the same old Labour Party.

“The Prime Minister has serious questions to answer. Who approved the decision to give a Labour donor Downing Street pass? Was the Prime Minister aware of the decision? Will he provide a list of all the meetings the donor attended and the topics discussed?

“The British people expect answers and the Prime Minister should provide them.

“Let us be clear. All politicians have a responsibility to uphold the standards and behaviors expected of those who hold the highest office in government. Those in power should never put their own interests and political games ahead of the people they serve.

“It is time to reset our relationship with the British people and rebuild the trust that has been lost through the kind of meanness and dishonesty that is destroying our politics to the core. That will take leadership, something Sir Keir clearly does not have.”