Deputy PM Angela Rayner accepted over £3,000 worth of free clothes from Lord Alli

By Henry Moore

Deputy PM Angela Rayner has declared £3,550 worth of clothes donated by Lord Alli earlier this year as Labour’s expenses scandal rears its head once again.

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Ms Rayner updated her entry in the register of interests to reflect that the donation received in June was for "work clothes for use while undertaking duties".

She had originally described it as a "donation in kind for undertaking parliamentary duties" from Lord Alli.

Ms Rayner, Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves stopped accepting donations to pay for clothes in September after the Prime Minister and his top team received criticism for accepting freebies.

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The Prime Minister has paid back £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality he received since entering Number 10.

He also commissioned a new set of principles on gifts and hospitality to be published as part of the updated Ministerial Code.

The fury over freebies had died down in recent weeks but the gifts - which Labour says were declared within the rules- sparked a backlash, particularly against a backdrop of cuts to the winter fuel payment.

Speaking at a news conference in Brussels following talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Starmer said paying back the £6,000 was the "right" thing to do.

He said: "We came in as a government of change. We are now going to bring forward principles for donations.

"Until now, politicians have used their best individual judgement on a case-by-case basis."

Given the row that's engulfed his government, he said it's clear "we need some principles" on the "general application" of rules on donations.

"Until those are in place, it was right for me to make those repayments," he added.

A Downing Street spokesperson earlier said: "The prime minister has commissioned a new set of principles on gifts and hospitality to be published as part of the updated ministerial code.

"Ahead of the publication of the new code, the prime minister has paid for several entries on his own register.

"This will appear in the next register of members' interests."