Labour donor row: Government says Lord Waheed Alli did have pass to

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A Labour donor who contributed more than £500,000 to the party did have a pass to Number 10 for a short time, the government has told Sky News.

The Sunday Times reported Lord Waheed Alli, a television executive who has donated to Labour over the last 20 years, had been given a pass granting him access to Downing Street despite not having an official government role.

Labour said he did attend a small number of political meetings with no civil servants, and said he gave back his pass at the end of July.

A government source said Lord Alli having a pass was “all entirely within the rules, and not unusual”.

Speaking to Sky News earlier on Sunday, cabinet minister Pat McFadden said: “I don’t think it’s unusual for people to have passes to attend political meetings if they need to do so.

“I don’t think he’s got the pass now but he may have had one in the past.”

Lord Alli was ennobled by Tony Blair in 1998. He also worked as the party’s chief fundraiser for the general election, having been hired by Sir Keir Starmer in 2022.

Sky News’ analysis of the Westminster Accounts earlier this year found Lord Alli donated £100,000 to Sir Keir for his Labour leadership campaign in 2020.

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