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Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has defended receiving a donation of £14,000 from a Labour peer embroiled in a freebies row, saying it was "declared properly and thoroughly". An article in the Mail on Sunday claimed the minister had used some of the money from Lord Waheed Alli to pay for her 40th birthday party. But speaking to Sky News from the Labour Party conference, Ms Phillipson insisted the donation paid for two events in a "professional.
.. work context", with attendees including representatives from the education sector, trade unions and political journalists.
Politics live: Labour wants to 'move on' from donations row, says minister Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has come under fire this week for accepting more than £100,000 worth of gifts since becoming party leader in 2019, including tickets to football matches, concerts, and luxury clothes for him and his wife - the latter of which was covered by Lord Alli. It also emerged Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have received donations used for purchasing clothes by the long-standing Labour peer. All three, who declared the donations on their register of interests, have now vowed to no longer accept funds in the future to pay for clothing.
More on Bridget Phillipson One-word Ofsted ratings for schools to be scrapped immediately Free childcare for nine-month-olds available from next week - but rollout comes with 'challenges' Parents may miss out on first choice free childcare places, education secretary warns Related Topics: Bridget Phillipson Labour Sir Keir Starmer Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News Asked by Sky News' Trevor Phillips whether they would now hand the money back, Ms Phillipson said: "Well, if they've declared it in line with the rules and they've followed [the rules], as very clearly they have, then I see no reason to do so." She added: "Look, the reason that we can have this conversation is because colleagues have followed the rules. I've followed the rules.
I've set out in the register of interests, what donations were [and] who they were from, and that's there for the public to see." The minister said it was "frustrating" to have to discuss the row as Labour's conference gets into full swing on Sunday, rather than "the wider agenda", adding: "Of course, this is a distraction. I'd much rather be talking to you about bigger issues.
"But you know, I'm happy to set out our position very clearly." Pushed to explain her own donations from Lord Alli - a television executive who has donated to Labour over the past 20 years - the education secretary said: "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." She added that she celebrated her "actual 40th birthday" with her family," saying: "We went for a pizza. I celebrated with my kids.
" Be the first to get Breaking News Install the Sky News app for free Ms Rayner also came under the spotlight this weekend after the Times reported she had not declared taking a friend on a personal holiday to New York funded by Lord Alli last Christmas. The deputy prime minister declared her own use of the peer's apartment on her register of interests, but failed to put that then Labour MP Sam Tarry stayed in the same accommodation. Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Ms Rayner said: "I don't believe I broke any rules.
I had the use of the apartment and I disclosed that I had the use of the apartment. "In fact, I think I was overly transparent because I think it was important despite it being a personal holiday because [Lord Alli], as a friend, had already donated to me in the past for my deputy leadership." The row is set to overshadow Labour's first conference as a governing party in 15 years.
Ms Rayner will give a speech on Sunday setting out measures to protect renters from fire safety defects, damp and mould, as well as tackling the ongoing issue of dangerous cladding around apartment blocks..
