Millionaire peer allegedly relisted North London property for £6,000 monthly after serving no-fault eviction to young family
Millionaire Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli allegedly evicted a young family from one of his properties before relisting it for more than £1,000 extra monthly rent, according to reports published today. The peer, who has donated more than £500,000 to Labour over the past two decades, served a section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction notice to a couple and their children who had rented the property for four years.
Lord Alli, 60, had let the five-bedroom north London townhouse to the family for £4,800 per month. In June, they received an eviction notice requiring them to vacate when their tenancy expired, the i Paper reported. Days after their departure, the Georgian house near Islington’s Almeida Theatre was relisted at £6,000 monthly – representing a 25 per cent increase.
The former tenant, a Labour voter himself, expressed his shock at discovering the property’s new rental price. “We saw that our house had been relisted for rent at more than £1,000 a month than we were paying,” the father, aged in his forties, told the i Paper. He described feeling “incredibly disappointed” with the party and accused Lord Alli of hypocrisy.
Political backlash over rental practices
The eviction has sparked criticism from opposition politicians, with shadow Home Secretary Sir James Cleverly calling it “another example of Labour saying one thing and doing another.” The move appears to contradict Labour’s commitment to ending such practices through their proposed Renters’ Rights Bill.
The legislation, currently making its way through Parliament, aims to outlaw no-fault evictions and prevent landlords from relisting properties at higher prices for at least six months after evicting tenants. The apparent contradiction between Lord Alli’s actions and Labour’s housing policy has intensified scrutiny of the peer’s influence within the party.
Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton said the landowner had been left with “no option” but to take legal action after previous eviction attempts failed. “The council will be supporting the landowner through the next steps and all the additional safety measures will remain in place until this situation is resolved,” he stated.
Lord Alli defends property decision
Sources close to Lord Alli told the i Paper that the peer had not been involved in the eviction decision, claiming it was made by a managing estate agent. A spokesman for Lord Alli told the Daily Mail he had “never managed” the property and insisted the replacing of tenants was “not about money.”
The property, valued at approximately £3 million and owned by Lord Alli since the 1990s, was advertised as a “truly stunning, bright, spacious and unique period home, set within an unbeatable, highly sought after Islington location.” Records confirm the former investment banker, who was appointed to the Lords by Tony Blair, has held the property for decades.
The controversy adds to ongoing questions about Lord Alli’s relationship with Labour leadership. The peer has been a significant financial supporter of Sir Keir Starmer, providing the Prime Minister with freebies worth tens of thousands of pounds, including use of his £18 million penthouse flat in Covent Garden during the election campaign.
Cabinet resignations amid housing controversies
The allegations against Lord Alli emerge as Labour faces multiple housing-related scandals involving senior figures. Angela Rayner resigned as housing secretary and Deputy Prime Minister last week after admitting she underpaid stamp duty by £40,000 on an £800,000 flat in Hove, East Sussex.
Rayner’s resignation followed an ethics investigation by Sir Laurie Magnus, who found she had breached the ministerial code. In her resignation letter, she stated she took “full responsibility for this error” whilst maintaining it was never her intention to pay less than required.
Meanwhile, Rushanara Ali quit as homelessness minister last month amid claims she evicted four tenants from her east London townhouse before relisting it for £700 monthly more. Ali had previously rented the four-bedroom property near Olympic Park for £3,300 per month, but new tenants reportedly pay £4,000.
Growing scrutiny of Labour’s property dealings
The series of property-related controversies has raised questions about Labour’s commitment to tenant protection. Tom Darling, director at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, described the situation as “mind-boggling,” particularly given the government’s stated intention to strengthen tenant rights.
“It is bad enough when any landlord turfs out their tenant to hike up the rent, but ministers responsible for housing policy know only too well about the harm caused by this behaviour,” said Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, commenting on the broader pattern of incidents.
Lord Alli’s influence extends beyond financial donations. Earlier this year, questions arose about why he was issued with a security pass to Downing Street, though Pat McFadden later told Sky News he did not believe the peer still held such access.
Labour’s housing reform agenda under pressure
The Renters’ Rights Bill, championed by Labour, promises to transform the rental sector by abolishing Section 21 evictions and introducing stronger protections against rent increases designed to force tenants out. The legislation would also establish a Private Rented Sector Ombudsman to help tenants resolve disputes with landlords.
However, the apparent disconnect between Labour’s policy agenda and the personal property dealings of its major donor and ministers has created political vulnerability. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake called the situation “staggering hypocrisy,” noting that Labour politicians have “spoken out about exploiting tenants” whilst engaging in similar practices themselves.
Housing campaigners have urged the government to press ahead with reforms despite the controversies. Mairi MacRae, director of campaigns and policy at Shelter, said the incidents serve as “a damning reminder that the cards are fundamentally stacked against renters.”
Historical influence and connections
Lord Alli, born to a Trinidadian Hindu mother and Guyanese Muslim father, became Britain’s youngest life peer when appointed to the House of Lords in 1998 at age 34. He was also the first openly gay peer in Parliament, with the BBC describing his appointment as “the antithesis of the stereotypical ‘establishment’ peer.
The media entrepreneur made his fortune through television production companies including Planet 24, which he co-founded with Charlie Parsons and Bob Geldof. The company produced groundbreaking programmes such as The Big Breakfast before being sold to Carlton Television for £15 million in 1999.
Under Keir Starmer’s leadership, Lord Alli has led Labour’s fundraising efforts, contributing more than £700,000 to the party since 2020. His role as chief campaign fundraiser since 2022 has been crucial in rebuilding Labour’s financial base ahead of their 2024 election victory.
What happens next
With multiple housing ministers having resigned over property-related controversies, pressure is mounting on Labour to demonstrate its commitment to rental reform. The government maintains that the Renters’ Rights Bill will proceed as planned, with implementation expected next year.
For the family evicted from Lord Alli’s property, the immediate impact is financial and emotional. The father told reporters he felt particularly betrayed as a Labour supporter who had believed in the party’s promises to protect tenants from exploitation.
The controversy highlights the tension between Labour’s progressive housing agenda and the property interests of its wealthy supporters. As the Renters’ Rights Bill moves through Parliament, scrutiny of Labour politicians’ and donors’ property dealings is likely to intensify, with opposition parties seeking to exploit any perceived hypocrisy.
Labour faces the challenge of maintaining credibility on housing reform whilst managing relationships with major donors whose property interests may conflict with proposed tenant protections. The outcome could significantly impact both the party’s policy agenda and its electoral prospects.
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Image Credit:
Waheed Alli, Baron Alli (2010) — photo by Theo Grzegorczyk, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0
