Western Morning News (Saturday)
Starmer to face ‘beergate’ probe
SIR Keir Starmer is to be investigated by police amid allegations that he broke lockdown rules last year, following receipt of “significant new information”, Durham Constabulary said.
The U-turn follows mounting pressure on the force to re-examine the allegations after footage emerged of the Labour leader drinking a beer with reportedly up to 30 colleagues at a constituency office in Durham in April 2021, during campaigning for the Hartlepool by-election.
Sir Keir – on a victory lap of England following some successes in Thursday’s local council elections – declined to answer questions from reporters in Carlisle yesterday afternoon, after police confirmed their change of heart. A Labour Party spokesman said: “We’re obviously happy to answer any questions there are and we remain clear that no rules were broken.”
The police statement appears timed to coincide with the end of the local elections, in which Labour scored some significant victories, including gaining control of three London councils. Durham Constabulary previously said they did not believe an offence had been established. A police statement on Friday said: “Earlier this year, Durham Constabulary carried out an assessment as to whether Covid-19 regulations had been breached at a gathering in Durham City on April 30 2021.
“At that time, it was concluded that no offence had been established and therefore no further action would be taken.
“Following the receipt of significant new information over recent days, Durham Constabulary has reviewed that position and now, following the conclusion of the pre-election period, we can confirm that an investigation into potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations relating to this gathering is now being conducted.” Police gave no further details. Allegations against Sir Keir refused to subside in the run-up to the elections, with the Labour leader this week saying he wanted to focus on the cost-of-living crisis and not Conservative “mudslinging”.
At the time of the alleged gathering, non-essential retail and outdoor venues including pub gardens were open, but social distancing rules, which included a ban on indoor mixing between households, remained in place.
Sir Keir has repeatedly denied breaching the rules.
Durham Police previously said their “general approach” was not to take “retrospective action”, including against former Downing Street chief adviser Dominic Cummings over his notorious trip to Barnard Castle to “test his eyesight” while the country was in lockdown.
Sir Keir previously said no restaurants or pubs were open at the time of the alleged offence, and the hotel he and his colleagues were staying in did not serve food, so “if you didn’t get a takeaway then our team wasn’t eating that evening”.
Conservative MP for North West Durham Richard Holden said the police are doing “exactly the right thing” in investigating potential lockdown breaches involving Sir Keir. Mr Holden, who had been pressing police to investigate after presenting new evidence, said: “It’s vital that the man who wants to be Prime Minister is held to the same standard as the Prime Minister and everybody else.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have already been fined for breaking Covid laws.