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.

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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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In response to The Sunday Times’ report, shadow paymaster general John Glen said: “It is disappointing to see Labour only attempting to act on their culture of cronyism after feeling the pressure in the media.

“Starmer’s sleaze is engulfing this new government and it’s time Labour came clean on all the people they’ve parachuted into top civil service jobs and the donors they’ve returned favours to so the independence and integrity of the civil service is maintained.”

Shadow security minister and Tory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat said: “The prime minister and the chancellor spent years in opposition preaching about standards in public life. Now in government, the moment the votes were counted, their story has changed and we’re seeing the same old Labour.

“The prime minister has serious questions to answer. Who approved the decision to give a Labour donor a pass to Downing Street? Was the prime minister aware of this decision? Will he provide a list of all the meetings that the donor attended, and the subjects discussed?

“The British people expect answers and the prime minister should provide them.

“Let me be clear. All politicians have a duty to uphold the standards and behaviours expected of those who hold the highest offices of government. Those in power should never put their own self-interest and political games over the people they serve.

“It is time to reset our relationship with the British people and rebuild the trust lost to this type of sleaze and dishonesty, which is rotting our politics to its core. That demands leadership, something Sir Keir seems to lack.”

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