Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer sparked a heated row on GB News after failing to declare a large Labour donation within the allotted time window.
Businessman and party donor Lord Waheed Alli gave a large sum to Lady Starmer, the Labour leader's wife, which covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes, and alterations.
After failing to declare the gifts in his initial register of MPs' interests, Starmer is now facing an investigation. However, it's understood that the PM had approached parliamentary authorities to make a late declaration, having been given updated advice on what needed to be registered.
Addressing the row in Italy on Monday, Starmer assured that "rules are being followed", highlighting the "importance of transparency".
Michelle Dewberry slapped down McCabe's defence of Labour receiving major donations to pay for clothing
GB News
Discussing the row on GB News, host Michelle Dewberry hit out at the Labour Government for "squeezing pensioners" while "claiming he can't afford to dress himself" and his wife Victoria.
Putting the question to former Labour MP Steve McCabe, Michelle pressed him on whether he could see the "sheer hypocrisy" of the donation, and why "the British people would have an issue with that".
McCabe defended Starmer, responding: "I simply make the observation that when people in senior positions in politics are not seen to dress appropriately, there's plenty of criticism."
Michelle quickly interjected, arguing: "So what?! If you are the Prime Minister of this country or someone in high public office, you need to get used to criticism. And if you can't handle being criticised, go and do a behind-the-scenes desk job.
Lord Waheed Alli donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to Labour to pay for clothing for the PM and his wife
PA
"I don't buy this notion that you'll get criticised and therefore that's why we need it, you should handle that criticism?"
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McCabe hit back at Michelle, claiming: "You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. If she goes and buys a frock from Primark and wears that, what do you think the newspaper headlines are going to be?
"She is the Prime Minister's wife, he's the Prime Minister, criticism directed at him is justifiable. Why should she be justified and castigated for being married to the guy?"
Offering a counterargument, former Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan told the panel: "She's being criticised for taking the money of somebody who then got a pass to Number 10. So that is different, this isn't about attacking her as an individual, it's the principle.
"And to suggest that they couldn't afford clothes is a bit of a stretch. They are independently well off, and the people that we're talking about that are feeling the brunt of this Government's action are not well off - there are pensioners that may very well freeze to death this winter because of the actions of this Government."
Michelle Dewberry said the message the Labour donations are sending out is 'wrong'
GB News
Donelan continued: "We're talking about a Prime Minister who's distracted and thinks it's really important what type of dress his wife is wearing. I think that's odd."
McCabe stood firm on his defence for Starmer, stating: "There are plenty of other things we could be discussing, but it's a really good issue to pick on Labour people and what they wear, and what's been paid for."
Michelle completely disagreed with McCabe, claiming he has "monumentally missed the point" of the debate, concluding: "My viewers and I could not care less what people wear, the point here is that pensioners cannot heat their home this year.
"That's what the people in this country are having to endure. Simultaneously, the leaders of the country are getting themselves decked out on everyone else's dime. It's the hypocrisy, it's the message it's sending out. It's wrong."
