Tories Demand Investigation into Starmer Over ‘Failing to Declare’ Labour Together Donations – Guido Fawkes

Starmer is back in the firing line over his top team as Morgan McSweeney’s Labour Together donations scandal resurfaces. The Tories have now demanded the Standards Commissioner investigate Starmer for ‘failing to declare’ Labour Together donations and support during the 2020 Labour leadership contest. Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake wrote to Commissioner Daniel Greenberg saying:

“Reports indicate that Labour Together, under Morgan McSweeney, spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on polling, which was then used in Starmer’s leadership campaign…Despite this, the Prime Minister’s Register of Members’ Interests for the period of the Labour leadership election contains no mention of any donations or support in kind from Labour Together. Paragraphs 14–16 of the Code of Conduct make clear that: Members must declare support above £1,500.”

Another scandal to add to Guido’s list…

Read the letter in full below:

“Dear Daniel

Complaint regarding undeclared support received by the Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer MP from Labour Together

I am writing to submit a formal complaint and to request that you investigate the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, in respect of his obligations to register interests under the House of Commons Code of Conduct.

Between January and April 2020, Labour held a leadership contest. Evidence from that period suggests that the Prime Minister accepted potentially thousands of pounds’ worth of advice and polling via the members’ association Labour Together. A review of his Register of Members’ Interests for that time reveals no record of these donations. The Parliamentary rules are clear that “support in kind” from Labour Together should have been declared, but it was not.

In 2021, the Electoral Commission fined Labour Together for failing to report donations covering the period 2017 to 2020. New evidence has since come to light which raises questions as to whether this failure was deliberate, in an attempt to mislead the Electoral Commission. At the time, the Prime Minister’s now Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney, was a Director at Labour Together and responsible for legal compliance.

This new information prompts a re-evaluation of Labour Together’s activities between 2017 and 2020. Labour Together itself has claimed that it “helped to rally the party membership behind Keir Starmer” and that it “united the party behind Keir Starmer’s leadership campaign” (Labour Together, 19 October 2023; Labour Together, 3 April 2023).

Reports indicate that Labour Together, under Morgan McSweeney, spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on polling, which was then used in Starmer’s leadership campaign. This support was not declared (Get In, 13 February 2025).

Labour Together also provided written materials and strategic support. The organisation was involved in preparing Sir Keir’s first speech as Labour Leader, yet this assistance does not appear in the Register. Notably, at this time the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, did register donations for the “provision of research and writing services”, yet the Prime Minister did not (House of Commons, Register of Members’ Interests,
26 April 2021; Get In, 13 February 2025).

Senior Labour figures were also involved. The current Housing Secretary, Steve Reed MP, reportedly offered Labour Together’s “help” to Sir Keir Starmer ahead of his leadership campaign, while still serving as a Director of the organisation. None of this “help” appears on the Register (Get In, 13 February 2025; Companies House, Labour Together, 29 April 2020).

Despite this, the Prime Minister’s Register of Members’ Interests for the period of the Labour leadership election contains no mention of any donations or support in kind from Labour Together (House of Commons Register, 26 April 2021).

Paragraphs 14–16 of the Code of Conduct make clear that:

· Members must declare support above £1,500. “14… Members must register, subject to the paragraphs below, support for their activities as a Member, or for candidacy at an election for parliamentary or non-parliamentary office, which has a value of more than £1,500, either as a single donation or in multiple donations of more than £500 from the same source in a calendar year.” (House of Commons, The Code of Conduct).

· Members must include support received via a political club, such as a members’ association, as Labour Together is considered. “15… Category 2(b): any other support received by a Member. This includes support received indirectly, for example via a political club. Before accepting any donations registrable under this category, Members must check that they are from a permissible donor. Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act, Members must not accept impermissible donations and must notify the Electoral Commission within 30 days of receipt. [Footnote 14: A political club is not a registered political party or an accounting unit of such a party. It is likely to be a members’ association under PPERA, defined as an organisation separate from, but which may be affiliated to, registered parties, but whose members come mainly from one party.]” (House of Commons, The Code of Conduct).

Members must declare any “support in kind”, including “advice, information services”. “16. Under this category Members must register:… Support in kind, including any of the following, if provided either free or at concessionary rates: advice or information services; receptions and events; training or development for the Member or his or her staff; the services of staff or interns; the provision of office space or equipment; hospitality or travel benefits such as season tickets or parking.” (House of Commons, The Code of Conduct).

Given the scale and nature of the reported assistance Labour Together provided to Sir Keir Starmer, it is evident that he should have registered this support.
Failure to do so appears to constitute a breach of the House of Commons Code of Conduct.

I respectfully request that you investigate this matter to determine whether the Prime Minister failed in his duty to register donations and support in kind received from Labour Together during his Labour leadership campaign.

Yours sincerely,

Kevin Hollinrake

Chairman of the Conservative and Unionist Party