Lord Alli, a Labour peer and donor, is under investigation by the House of Lords standards watchdog for allegedly failing to register his interests in accordance with parliamentary conduct. While the details of the complaint have not been released, Parliament’s website confirms that Lord Alli is being investigated for potential breaches of rules concerning “openness and accountability” of declarations. Peers are required to register “all relevant interests” to ensure transparency, and to update any changes in their interests within one month of such changes.
The investigation into Lord Alli comes amid controversy over donations from him to senior politicians, including Sir Keir Starmer. According to Sir Keir, he has declared the donations from Lord Alli, including accommodation worth over £20,000, in the register of MPs’ interests. Lord Alli has also made donations worth more than £32,000 for clothing and spectacles to Sir Keir, whose government has been dogged by the controversy since Labour’s general election win in July.
The situation regarding donations from Lord Alli took a new turn in August when it was revealed that he had been given a temporary Downing Street security pass despite having no formal government role. However, Labour dismissed any suggestions of wrongdoing. This follows on from the government announcing that it will tighten the rules around ministerial hospitality, with Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden stating that ministers will have to register any hospitality connected to their government duties.
The investigation into Lord Alli is being conducted by the Lords Commissioners for Standards, who are also investigating former Tory peer Lady Mone over her alleged role in procuring PPE contracts during the pandemic. While Sir Keir has publicly announced that he will no longer be accepting donations like those from Lord Alli, the investigation into the Labour peer is ongoing. The investigation highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in political conduct
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