Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that “rules are being followed” regarding declarations of clothing donated to his wife, Victoria.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also defended the Prime Minister, stating that “donations are always declared in the proper way”.
The Prime Minister is alleged to have broken parliamentary rules by failing to declare donations of clothing for Lady Starmer within the designated time limit.
The Conservatives have written to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner to call for an investigation.
The gifts, from prominent Labour donor Lord Alli, were not initially declared in the register of MPs’ interests.
The Sunday Times reported that the Prime Minister approached the parliamentary authorities on Tuesday to make a late declaration after being given updated advice on what needed to be registered.
Sir Keir said it was “very important” to him that rules are followed and that “we have transparency”.
He said: “I’ve always said that. I said that before the election, I’ve reinforced it after the election.
“And that’s why, shortly after the election, my team reached out for advice on what declaration should be made, so it’s in accordance with the rules.
“They then sought out for further advice more recently, as a result of which they made the relevant declarations.
“But for me it’s really important that the rules are followed. That’s why I was very pleased my team reached out proactively – not once, but twice – because it is very important that we have transparency, very important that you and others can see the rules are being followed.”
Donations reportedly covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for Lady Starmer both before and after Labour’s election win in July.
MPs are required to register gifts and donations within 28 days.
Lord Alli’s involvement with the Labour leader has already proved controversial after it emerged he had been given a Downing Street security pass without apparently having a Government role.
The Home Secretary said Lord Alli “is a longstanding Labour peer” who has been “involved in many campaigns”.
Ms Cooper told Sky News: “(Lord Alli) was one of the leading people involved in the introduction of the equal marriage legislation some years ago.
“He’s been involved in very many different things, and he did a lot of work for the Labour Party in the run-up to the election, and I understand he worked on some of the transition arrangements as well, and he no longer has a pass, because that work is now completed. So that has also all been done.”
Asked if the taxpayer should be funding clothes for Lady Starmer as is the case in the US, Ms Cooper said: “No, of course not. That’s not the way that we do things in this country.
“I think this is a political donation, and I don’t know the details of the donation, but donations are always declared in the proper way.”
In a letter to Daniel Greenberg CB, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, a Conservative MP called for an investigation into Sir Keir’s “failure to declare”.
The letter states: “In August it was then reported that Lord Alli had been given a temporary Downing Street security pass despite having no formal government role. It was reported that he had played an active role in selecting Cabinet (and other) appointments.
“It has now emerged that at the same time Sir Keir Starmer failed to declare a substantial gift of designer clothes, tailoring and a personal shopper bought for his wife by Lord Alli, both prior to the general election on July 4 and following it.”
The letter also states: “There must be a full investigation into this scandal given this is not the first instance of the Prime Minister failing to declare donations and abiding by parliamentary rules.”
Conservative MP Andrew Griffith said: “It beggars belief that the Prime Minister thinks it’s acceptable that pensioners on £13,000 a year can afford to heat their home when he earns 12 times that but apparently can’t afford to clothe himself or his wife.
“While his top team want a taxpayer-funded clothes budget to look sharp, people across the country are forced to make tough choices in the face of Labour’s damaging decisions.
“Labour promised change, but in 10 short weeks all they’ve delivered is a change of clothes for themselves. Labour have made the political choice to put themselves and their union paymasters before the most vulnerable.”
