Bridget Phillipson has admitted receiving £14,000 from Labour donor Lord Alli that helped pay for events to mark her 40th birthday.
The Education Secretary declared two donations from Lord Alli, who is also Sir Keir Starmer’s biggest personal donor, saying they were to “host a number of events”.
Speaking on Sky News, she admitted some of the cash was used to pay for a celebratory 40th birthday event held in December at the Hoare Memorial Hall, a venue which boasts “stunning views” of Westminster Abbey.
It came as a row over clothing donations accepted by senior party figures including Sir Keir and Angela Rayner, his deputy, threatened to overshadow the start of Labour’s conference in Liverpool.
Asked about the donations from Lord Alli, Ms Phillipson told Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “So 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’s 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.”
Events in ‘work context’
Ms Phillipson was asked by Mr Phillips how she would have responded if the same revelations had emerged about Tory politicians who served in the previous government.
Insisting the events were in a “work context”, the Education Secretary said her own family did not attend the parties and she celebrated her actual 40th birthday by going out for pizza.
“This is where I got together colleagues, journalists actually, trade union people – it was in a very different context,” she said. “Waheed has been a Labour peer for over 25 years. This is fully transparent… This was an opportunity for people to come together so we can have an example where we can, for example, talk about issues around education.”
Ms Phillipson insisted such events happened “regularly” and had been declared in line with the rules.
Sir Keir, Ms Rayner and Rachel Reeves have sought to draw a line under the controversy by declaring that they will not take any more donations for clothes.
An analysis by The Telegraph has found the Cabinet has accepted more than £800,000 in donations and freebies this year.
There is no suggestion Lord Alli broke any rules. He has not commented on any of the reports about his donations in recent weeks.
Lord Alli was contacted for comment.
