SIR Keir Starmer’s top aide is facing calls for a police probe over claims he hid almost £740,000 in Labour donations.
Leaked emails suggest Morgan McSweeney, now the PM’s chief of staff, sought to brush off the breaches as an “admin error” and to keep his name out of the spotlight.
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The Tories have now written to the Electoral Commission, demanding a full investigation, and for the case to be passed to police to consider possible criminal offences.
Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake fumed: “Serious questions now arise over whether unlawful funds were used to propel Starmer into the Labour leadership – and why those at the centre of this murky operation were later rewarded with senior, taxpayer-funded roles in Government.”
The row centres on Labour Together, a campaign group Mr McSweeney once ran, which was fined £14,250 in 2021 for failing to report almost £740,000 in donations.
The watchdog found more than 20 breaches of electoral law, with officials concluding failures occurred “without reasonable excuse.”
Emails reported by the Mail on Sunday suggest Mr McSweeney and Labour lawyers discussed ways to minimise bad publicity and disguise responsibility for the late declarations.
The Tories allege this shows Labour Together deliberately kept donations off the books to stop Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership team knowing who was bankrolling rival campaigns.
They say the cover-up helped smooth the way for Sir Keir’s rise to power.
Deputy PM David Lammy yesterday told Times Radio the Tories were “muckraking”, adding: “I really don’t believe that there’s anything to see here.”
Labour Together insisted it “proactively raised concerns” with the Electoral Commission in 2020 and “fully co-operated” with the inquiry.
The commission itself said it “thoroughly investigated” the late reporting and closed the case four years ago.
The row comes ahead of the publication of The Fraud, by journalist Paul Holden, next month, which is likely to focus on Mr McSweeney’s role.
He said there will be “a lot more revelations” about senior figures at the heart of Sir Keir’s government.
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