Georgia Pearce
Guest Reporter
Wes Streeting has lambasted the "bitter losers" of the Conservative Party as he defended the involvement of Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli.
The Labour Government are facing a fresh "cronyism" scandal after it was revealed that Alli had an "all access security pass to No10", but it was given back "several weeks ago".
Lord Alli has donated £500,000 to Labour, including £20,000 to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for new clothes before being given the pass.
Defending the role of Alli within the Labour Government, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told GB News that the peer is a "senior Labour parliamentarian" and the Tories "can't stand" that he helped raise the funds needed for the General Election campaign.
Streeting explained: "He has done something, and this is why he is under fire from the Conservatives, that they can't stand.
"They fixed the donation rules at a level that they thought Labour wouldn't be able to raise the money for, and Lord Alli helped us to raise the money to outspend the Conservatives at the General Election and hand their backsides to them at the ballot box - and they can't stand that fact."
Further attacking the Tories for their criticisms of Alli, Streeting claimed that he "helped advise us and advised the Prime Minister in opposition with his transition into Government", affirming it was an "entirely appropriate thing to do".
Camilla then pressed the Health Secretary on his staunch defence of Alli, telling him that "if the shoe was on the other foot, he would be the first to criticise" the Tories.
Camilla argued: "But this is about cash for access isn't it? He's paying for Starmer's spectacles, he's given money to Liam Conlan, and yet he then gets a Downing Street pass - why did he get the pass? Why did he need it? Was it a reward?"
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Streeting hit back at Camilla, stating: "No, it was about enabling him to support the team with the transition from opposition into those early days in Downing Street - it was practical.
"And here's the other thing - he is a senior Labour parliamentarian. He is also by the way a lifelong outstanding businessman and Labour supporter, and that's the other thing the Conservatives can't stand."
He fumed: "They can't stand it when successful business people back Labour, and that's why they've been gunning for him, but he is a senior Labour parliamentarian.
"He's been a member of the parliamentary Labour Party longer than most of us in the House of Commons, and he has played an invaluable role in helping Labour to win the General Election campaign. That's why the Tories are gunning for him because they are sore, bitter losers."
In response to Streeting's remarks, Camilla highlighted the potential "hypocrisy" amid Labour's accusations of "Tory cronyism".
Grilling Streeting on another peer, Camilla mentioned the involvement of former Health Secretary Alan Milburn in the Labour operation.
Streeting affirmed: "I make no bones about the fact that in opposition and now in Government, I've turned to Alan Milburn for advice.
"He has been with me in opposition and in Government, helping to shape Labour’s reform agenda, advising me as the Secretary of State, and of course meetings that Alan Milburn has attended, that I have invited him to.
"I have chosen to share papers with him and every other attendee of meetings, nothing commercially sensitive, nothing inappropriate, but meetings because he's an outstanding former Health Secretary and I'm proud to have Alan Milburn’s support and advice."
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The Labour Government are facing a fresh "cronyism" scandal after it was revealed that Alli had an "all access security pass to No10", but it was given back "several weeks ago".
Lord Alli has donated £500,000 to Labour, including £20,000 to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for new clothes before being given the pass.
Defending the role of Alli within the Labour Government, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told GB News that the peer is a "senior Labour parliamentarian" and the Tories "can't stand" that he helped raise the funds needed for the General Election campaign.
Streeting explained: "He has done something, and this is why he is under fire from the Conservatives, that they can't stand.
"They fixed the donation rules at a level that they thought Labour wouldn't be able to raise the money for, and Lord Alli helped us to raise the money to outspend the Conservatives at the General Election and hand their backsides to them at the ballot box - and they can't stand that fact."
Further attacking the Tories for their criticisms of Alli, Streeting claimed that he "helped advise us and advised the Prime Minister in opposition with his transition into Government", affirming it was an "entirely appropriate thing to do".
Camilla then pressed the Health Secretary on his staunch defence of Alli, telling him that "if the shoe was on the other foot, he would be the first to criticise" the Tories.
Camilla argued: "But this is about cash for access isn't it? He's paying for Starmer's spectacles, he's given money to Liam Conlan, and yet he then gets a Downing Street pass - why did he get the pass? Why did he need it? Was it a reward?"
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Streeting hit back at Camilla, stating: "No, it was about enabling him to support the team with the transition from opposition into those early days in Downing Street - it was practical.
"And here's the other thing - he is a senior Labour parliamentarian. He is also by the way a lifelong outstanding businessman and Labour supporter, and that's the other thing the Conservatives can't stand."
He fumed: "They can't stand it when successful business people back Labour, and that's why they've been gunning for him, but he is a senior Labour parliamentarian.
"He's been a member of the parliamentary Labour Party longer than most of us in the House of Commons, and he has played an invaluable role in helping Labour to win the General Election campaign. That's why the Tories are gunning for him because they are sore, bitter losers."
In response to Streeting's remarks, Camilla highlighted the potential "hypocrisy" amid Labour's accusations of "Tory cronyism".
Grilling Streeting on another peer, Camilla mentioned the involvement of former Health Secretary Alan Milburn in the Labour operation.
Streeting affirmed: "I make no bones about the fact that in opposition and now in Government, I've turned to Alan Milburn for advice.
"He has been with me in opposition and in Government, helping to shape Labour’s reform agenda, advising me as the Secretary of State, and of course meetings that Alan Milburn has attended, that I have invited him to.
"I have chosen to share papers with him and every other attendee of meetings, nothing commercially sensitive, nothing inappropriate, but meetings because he's an outstanding former Health Secretary and I'm proud to have Alan Milburn’s support and advice."
Find Out More...