The Labor donor in the middle of the freebies row under Sir Keir Starmer will be welcome again Andy BurnhamThe Mail on Sunday can reveal this.
Lord Alli, Sir Keir’s biggest personal backer, will return to revive Labour’s business ties and boost their ailing finances.
The television executive, who was reportedly worth £200million, became embroiled in a scandal after paying for designer suits and glasses for the former prime minister.
Despite that controversy, which led to his withdrawal from frontline politics, Lord Alli, pictured right, will start fundraising again.
The MoS understands that Lord Alli will host a dinner for donors this month, on Monday
of the Liverpool Labor Conference. A business source said: ‘I’m very surprised he has been brought back. After the trouble last time, I thought they didn’t want him near Burnham. It doesn’t look good.’
Lord Waheed Alli attended the 2024 Labor Party conference in Liverpool
Prime Minister Andy Burnham left 10 Downing Street on Wednesday
Some insiders believe Burnham may have welcomed him back as part of a renewed bid to cash in after party funds dried up under Sir Keir. Donation figures from the Electoral Commission last week show Labor in third place, behind the Tories and Reform.
It has fueled speculation that Burnham may be preparing for a snap election as Lord Alli led Labour’s fundraising for the 2024 election. He has been a central figure in the party since Peter Mandelson masterminded Labour’s landslide from Lord Alli’s Kent mansion in 1997.
He has given more than £500,000 to the party since 2020, on top of personal gifts to Sir Keir and cabinet members.
Labor said it looked forward to welcoming thousands of members and supporters to its annual conference.
