A LABOUR minister has admitted taking a five-figure sum from a Labour donor to fund a party with journalists and lobbyists for her birthday.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson took £14,000 from Labour peer Waheed Alli in the run-up to her 40th birthday last year – which she has admitted was spent on parties with lobbyists.
Speaking on Sky News on Sunday morning, the senior Labour figure was confronted about the donations, which she recorded in her register of interests.
While the sums were set out in the public domain, the only reasons given for the donations were “to host a number of events, including on behalf of the shadow education team”.
Now she has revealed the money was used to put on parties.
Bridget Phillipson is asked why Lord Alli gave her £14,000. She explains part of it was used to fund a birthday party for her 40th where she invited colleagues and journalists. #trevorphillips pic.twitter.com/UhTWimhkfE
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) September 22, 2024
Phillipson said: “I received that money from Waheed Alli, who’s a longstanding Labour peer. It was used to fund two events, all of which was declared properly and thoroughly, that’s why that information is in the public domain.
“The first event was ahead of my birthday, so I was turning 40, I thought it was a good opportunity to get people together in a professional context, so it was journalists, trade unionists, education people, MPs and shadow cabinet. The second event was an event that I held, also again for lobby journalists, for people in the education world, as part of a reception. It was in a work context.”
Confronted on why she would not pay for her own birthday party, the Education Secretary said her family did not attend the events.
Phillipson (below) added: “I celebrated my actual 40th birthday with my family, we went for a pizza, I celebrated with my kids. This was where I got together colleagues, journalists actually, trade unionists, education people, it was it was in a very different kind of context. Waheed is a Labour peer, he’s been a Labour peer for over 25 years, this is fully transparent, honestly.”
Host Trevor Phillips said the average person would view the events as “dodgy”, saying the minister was “paying for them to lobby you”.
Phillipson said: “No, that’s absolutely not what it was. This was an opportunity for people to come together to have a reception where we can talk about, for example, issues around education. These kinds of things happen regularly, it was all declared in line with the rules and fully transparent.”
Her admission comes amid a growing row over Labour politicians taking freebies from wealthy donors and lobbyists.
The Prime Minister and other senior figures on Friday announced they would no longer let Lord Alli, a media mogul who made his fortune working in the City, buy clothes for them.
Keir Starmer received pairs of spectacles worth £2485 courtesy of Lord Alli in April this year and suits worth £16,200.
He has also received multiple gifts from Premier League teas to watch Arsenal away games.
Analysis in the Sunday Telegraph found that Labour Cabinet ministers have taken £753,017 in donations and £90,853 in gifts since the beginning of the year, including tickets to see Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and Kylie Minogue.
Starmer, his chief of staff Sue Gray (below) and David Lammy enjoyed hospitality with lobbyists present at Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday, and Angela Rayner took a free holiday courtesy of Lord Alli as well as £2230 for clothing from luxury brand ME+EM.
SNP MP Kirsty Blackman said: “People are understandably angry that Sir Keir Starmer and Labour Party ministers have been throwing birthday parties and lining their pockets with around £800,000 of luxury freebies and donations, while ordinary families are facing the pain of damaging Labour government austerity cuts.
“While the Labour Party robs pensioners of their Winter Fuel Payments, and pushes thousands of Scottish children into poverty with their two-child benefit cap and bedroom tax, Sir Keir and his Cabinet ministers are living a life of luxury – kitted out in free designer clothes, enjoying high-end holidays, Taylor Swift gigs, and thousands of pounds of hospitality.
“It makes them look completely out of touch, and shows it's one rule for them and another for the rest of us – austerity for thee but not for me.”
Blackman said the Government had “serious questions” to answer about whether they will continue to take freebies and what lobbyists and donors “have been expecting” in return for their generosity.
