Bridget Phillipson squirmed today as she defended taking £14,000 from a millionaire Labour peer to host ‘work events’ – after it was revealed how he bankrolled her 40th birthday bash.Amid a fierce row over senior Labour figures enjoying freebies at the start of the party’s conference in Liverpool, the Cabinet minister was quizzed this morning over her own acceptance of donations from Lord Waheed Alli.The MPs’ register of interests reveals the Education Secretary took a total of £14,000 from the businessman in November and December last year, which is described as being used to ‘host a number of events’.It has since emerged how some of the money was used by Ms Phillipson to host a celebration of her 40th birthday last year.The Mail on Sunday revealed that more than 100 guests, including Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, attended the glittering event in London. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson squirmed today as she defended taking £14,000 from a millionaire Labour peer to host ‘work events’The newspaper reported the event was held at the historic Hoare Memorial Hall in Westminster and the Prime Minister took to the venue’s stage during the three-and-a-half-hour party and made a speech in which he hailed Ms Phillipson as ‘a poster child for working-class aspiration’.But Ms Phillipson insisted the bash was ‘in a work context’ during a grilling on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips show.’I received that money from Waheed Alli, who is a longstanding Labour peer, it was used to fund two events – all of which was declared properly and thoroughly, that’s why that information is in the public domain,’ she said.’The first event was ahead of my birthday – I was turning 40, I thought it was a good opportunity to get people together in a professional context.’So it was journalists, trade unionists, education people, MPs and shadow cabinet.’The second event was an event that I held, also again, for lobby journalists, for people in the education world, as part of a reception. It was in a work context.’Pressed on why politicians shouldn’t pay to fund their own birthday parties, the Education Secretary added: ‘My own family didn’t come to that, it was in a work context.’I celebrated my actual 40th birthday with my family – we went for a pizza, I celebrated with my kids.’This was where I got together colleagues, journalists, trade unionists, education people.’It was in a very different kind of context.’Waheed is a Labour peer, he had been a Labour peer for over 25 years. This is fully transparent.’Ms Phillipson also insisted the 40th birthday bash did not represent a lobbying event.’No, no, that’s absolutely not what it was,’ she added.’This was an opportunity for people to come together to have a reception where we can talk about, for example, issues around education.’These kinds of things happen regularly. It was all declared in line with the rules and fully transparent.’This was two events in a work context, and the information is there for the public to see.’Sir Keir has accepted thousands of pounds worth of clothing and glasses from Lord Alli, who has also paid for high-end clothing for the Prime Minister’s wife Victoria.Following Labour’s general election victory in July, Lord Alli was handed a Downing Street security pass despite having no apparent Government role.Deputy PM Angela Rayner has also accepted gifts from the Labour peer, including a stay at a posh apartment in New York, while Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been revealed to have accepted thousands of pounds worth of clothing from another donor.Amid the fierce political row, they have all since agreed to stop accepting clothes as free gifts.Ms Phillipson admitted the row over donations was ‘frustrating’ and a ‘distraction’. Ms Phillipson was quizzed this morning over her own acceptance of donations from Lord Waheed Alli (pictured)She said: ‘The reason that we can have this conversation is because colleagues have followed the rules. I followed the rules.’I’ve set out in the register of interests what donations were for, who they were from, and that’s there for the public to see.’What I would say is that, of course, it is frustrating to be having this conversation with you this morning, not talking about the wider agenda that we’re setting up here in Liverpool, because we have delivered an awful lot in the very short space of time that we have been in government.’And of course, this is a distraction.’