The SNP has written to Westminster’s Standards Commissioners, and the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, urging them to initiate an urgent investigation into all the free gifts and donations given to the Prime Minister, Cabinet Members and Labours MPs by Lord Alli – and the decision to hand Lord Alli a Downing Street security pass following the receipt of donations.
In the letter, sent on Thursday, Brendan O’Hara MP said “the Labour government’s freebies and donations scandal has become Sir Keir Starmer’s version of the expenses scandal – causing widespread anger among voters and seriously damaging public trust in the Prime Minister, UK government and Westminster parliament.”
The SNP Cabinet Office spokesperson warned “the huge scale and highly questionable nature of these donations, at a time when the Labour government is telling the public they need to tighten their belts and accept painful austerity cuts, including the removal of the winter fuel payment from pensioners, has given the impression that Labour government ministers are in it for themselves, and that it is one rule for them, and austerity for everyone else.”
The call for a full investigation comes following further allegations overnight that Lord Alli failed to properly declare an interest as a director in a company based in the British Virgin Islands tax haven.
Open Democracy has reported the peer could earn £425,000 from the offshore firm.
In his letter to the Standards Commissioners of the House of Commons and House of Lords, the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, SNP Cabinet Office spokesperson Brendan O’Hara MP writes:
“Dear Commissioners, Cabinet Secretary, and Sir Laurie Magnus,
Â
“Recent weeks have seen a series of highly damaging revelations and allegations regarding the donations of a member of the House of Lords to Labour MPs and members of the current UK Cabinet, including the Prime Minister himself.
Â
“The drip, drip of these revelations has now dominated media coverage for a prolonged period of time. Its impact has been to badly undermine public confidence in the same manner as the expenses scandal did 15 years ago.
“Indeed, the Labour government’s freebies and donations scandal has become Sir Keir Starmer’s version of the expenses scandal – causing widespread anger among voters and damaging public trust in the Prime Minister, UK government and Westminster parliament.
“The huge scale and highly questionable nature of these donations, at a time when the Labour government is telling the public they need to tighten their belts and accept painful austerity cuts, including the removal of the winter fuel payment from pensioners, has given the impression that Labour government ministers are in it for themselves – that it is one rule for them, and austerity for everyone else.
“The revelations regarding the gifts given by Lord Alli have included details of thousands of pounds in donations to the Prime Minister and senior Cabinet Ministers including:
- Expensive designer clothing and glasses
- Free foreign holidays
- The use of luxury penthouse apartments
- Payment for a politician’s birthday party event
“Overnight, new allegations have emerged regarding the potential failure of Lord Alli to properly declare an interest as a director in a company based in the British Virgin Islands tax haven.
“In addition, it has been widely reported that, following these donations, Lord Alli was given a triple A security pass to Downing Street – giving him access to the heart of the UK government for reasons that remain entirely unclear. This raises significant questions of the current operation of the UK government and whether there was any breach of the ministerial code, and the Nolan Principles of Public Life, in awarding the security pass.
“Questions include:
- Why was the Downing Street security pass given to Lord Alli?
- Did Keir Starmer, other Labour government ministers, or staff acting on their behalf, request that Lord Alli be given a pass and who signed it off?
- Was the pass given as a reward for Lord Alli’s lavish donations – or to encourage future donations from Lord Alli, or his associates, to the Labour Party or to government ministers?
- What was the pass being used for? What meetings were attended and in what capacity? What other activity was Lord Alli undertaking in Downing Street, when and why?
- Was the security pass being used exclusively for government business, and in what capacity, or was it being used for either Labour Party or personal business?
- Were ministers – or those acting on their behalf – using government resources for party political purposes, or to benefit themselves, by giving Lord Alli the security pass?
“Unless these matters are comprehensively investigated, and full transparency is provided, it is inevitable that the damaging drip, drip of revelations will continue to erode public trust.
“Therefore, I believe there now exists a clear and immediate public interest in launching a full and independent investigation into all of Lord Alli’s donations and gifts to the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, and Labour Party MPs.
“There must also be an investigation into the decision to give Lord Alli a security pass to Downing Street, and into how – and why – it was used.
“This will ensure that all of these allegations can be dealt with in their totality.
“Potential breaches of Rules D (5) and (6) in the parliamentary Code of Conduct, covering members interests and their declaration, I believe give sufficient scope to initiate such an investigation.
“In addition, there is the potential that the receipt of these donations, the way that they were recorded by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor, and the decision to grant Lord Alli a security pass to Downing Street may have breached the ministerial code and the Nolan Principles of Public Life.
“Section 1.3 of the Ministerial Code is clear that:
“f. Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or appears to arise, between their public duties and their private interests;
“g. Ministers should not accept any gift or hospitality which might, or might reasonably appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an improper obligation;
“i. Ministers must not use government resources for party political purposes;”
“The Seven Principles of Public Life state that:
“1.1 Selflessness – Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
“1.2 Integrity – Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
“1.3 Objectivity – Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.”
Given your roles as parliamentary commissioners covering both the House of Lords and House of Commons, Cabinet Secretary and the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, I believe you possess the appropriate powers and authority to investigate these matters urgently and in full.
“I look forward to hearing your response.
                
“Yours sincerely,
“Brendan O’Hara MP
SNP Cabinet Office spokesperson”
