How Starmer’s glasses led to his first scandal

Labour donor Waheed Alli has been found guilty of four breaches of the rules governing the House of Lords for failing to correctly register his interests, sparking a scandal linked to high-profile donations and gifts to key figures in Sir Keir Starmer’s government.  

Some of Lord Alli’s gifts include glasses and work clothing worth £18,000 to the Prime Minister and donations totaling £10,000 to political campaigns. The donations raised questions about their appropriateness, especially after Lord Alli was granted a pass, or access, to 10 Downing Street, home of the UK’s top politician.. The scandal, dubbed "passes for glasses," is the first major controversy of the Starmer administration. Individual granted passes generally possess significant political or business influence; such a grant is often seen as a sign of close ties to the government. To contain the backlash, Starmer and senior Labour ministers pledged to stop accepting gifts and announced plans to tighten hospitality rules for greater transparency. Starmer himself reimbursed £6,000 in freebies to address public concerns. Lord Alli apologized for his breaches, describing them as unintentional and minor. Despite this, the incident has sparked debates about accountability and ethics within the party.

---

To receive more stories like this right in your inbox every week, subscribe below:

Subscribe