Keir Starmer issued a renewed defence of Lord Alli’s donations today (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer issued a renewed defence of Lord Alli’s donations today, while admitting he does understand why the public and media continue to question his links to the Prime Minister and Labour Party.
Sir Keir used the top donor’s £18 million Covent Garden penthouse to urge the public to work from home during the pandemic.
In December 2021 he used the flat for an address to the nation following new Government guidance to fight the pandemic.
Christmas cards and a photo of his family had been added to the backdrop, suggesting he had attempted to pass the flat off as his own domicile.
While Downing Street has already said they are confident no rules have been broken, the story sparked further outrage.
Asked today why he had put a photo of his family in the backdrop of Lord Alli’s flat, Sir Keir flippantly said: “That was just part of a video we were putting out in relation to, I think it was during Covid.”
He joked: “Anybody who thinks that I was pretending it was my own home, the idea that I’ve got union jacks by my fireplace at home and or that I would invite a bunch of you lot into my living room to have a look around.
“I mean, I think the idea that I was trying to pretend that it was my home is pretty farcical.
“And no I’m not going to be inviting you in to film me in front of my fireplace. I’m very sorry, that’s about the last thing I’d do.”
However he did concede that he understands why people have questions about Lord Alli, and his role within Labour.
He said: “I understand why the public have questions about this. I think the best thing we can do is to explain the circumstances and be absolutely clear that nothing wrong has been done here.”
“Everybody has complied with all of the rules. Sometimes it takes time to go through the individual examples, which may or may not put the context for people to see and make their own judgments.
Sir Keir used the top donor’s £18 million Covent Garden penthouse (Image: Getty)
“But look, I know why you’re asking questions.”
Probed about what Lord Alli’s role in Downing Street and his party actually is, and whether he ever discusses policy with the donor, Sir Keir denied any such role.
The PM said Lord Alli is just a Labour peer who wanted a Labour victory.
He added: “That was his sole motivation. The fact that he is already a Labour lord takes away any sense that there’s a reward for him. He wanted a Labour victory that motivated him, and he got one.”
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Labour civil war looms as Keir Starmer faces nightmare revolt from backbenchers
Discontent is said to be brewing among Labour backbenchers. (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer faces a growing rebellion among Labour backbenchers over his government’s Winter Fuel Payment raid and refusal – thus far – to scrap the Two Child Benefit Cap.
Telegraph journalist Suzanne Moore, who attended the party conference in Liverpool this week, said the “draconian discipline” Sir Keir has enforced means backbenchers without influence are left feeling “pretty demoralised”.
Labour figures are also concerned at increasingly being whipped to support policies they feel are at odds with the party’s core principles.
Rosie Duffield, a Labour MP who has been a vocal proponent of lifting the benefit cap told the outlet: “Every member of the cabinet has stood up at some point and made a comment against the two child limit.
“And suddenly we are in government and we don’t have the money to do anything about it? It’s so fundamental to who we are! This is one of the things that makes you think, why am I in the Labour Party? What’s the purpose of the Labour Party?”, she added.
Ms Duffield claimed the Prime Minister “just doesn’t engage,” adding that it’s often said Sir Keir is “not actually interested in politics”.
The policy, which limits child tax credit and universal credit to the first two children in most families, has come under fire for apparently exacerbating child poverty, a situation that Sir Keir has been urged to address.
Fears in Labour HQ of a major rebellion against the recent vote to cut the Winter Fuel Payment didn’t materialise, with the plan passing through Parliament easily.
However, “scores of MPs abstained in silent protest”, The Guardian reports, fearing that the move would condemn vulnerable pensioners to a cold, hard winter.
Ms Moore said there was “no mistaking an undercurrent of disappointment from many” who gathered in Merseyside this week to see Sir Keir’s first conference address since winning power in July.
Sir Keir gave his first speech to the party conference as Prime Minister this week. (Image: Getty)
“The new backbenchers are finding their way, not quite sure of their place, full of high ideals but in some ways already compromised,” she wrote.
“Does anyone really become a Labour MP to cut the winter fuel allowance? Of course there was going to be a rebellion on this and of course it would be ignored. Such is the power of a big majority.”
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, sparked a furious backlash in July when she announcedplans to limit winter fuel payments of up to £300 to only those on pension credit.
Labour have blamed cuts on having to tackle the £22 billion black hole in the public finances they claim the previous Conservative government left them, which the Tories deny.
The rule change, which will see some 10 million pensioners lose out on the payment, is expected to save the treasury around £1.3billion in the first year.
