‘No reasonable person believes Labour’s story’
As police drag feet, Dorries hits out at party’s lockdown boozing...
SENIOR ministers last night dramatically ramped up pressure on Durham Constabulary to fully investigate allegations Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner broke Covid rules.
After a string of revelations in the Daily Mail, three Cabinet ministers went public yesterday to say Sir Keir clearly had questions to answer over the so-called ‘Beergate’ affair.
One suggested ‘no reasonable person’ now believed the Labour leader’s account of the event and asked how Durham Constabulary could. And although Home Secretary Priti Patel has declined to intervene, her allies voiced frustration yesterday about the lack of action from the force.
Sir Keir was caught on camera swigging beer with colleagues at a time when England was slowly emerging from lockdown last year, when indoor socialising was banned. Labour insisted it was a ‘work event’. But last week, after being presented with video evidence by this newspaper, it was forced to admit deputy leader Mrs Rayner was at the gathering – something it had denied for months.
The Mail’s revelations have also raised a string of other questions over Labour’s account of the event, particularly over whether Sir Keir returned to work after drinking beer at 10pm.
Durham Constabulary has so far declined to launch a full investigation – apparently deciding to clear Sir Keir of any offence on the basis of video footage it reviewed in February. But pressure is now mounting on the force to begin a full probe. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: ‘Keir Starmer clearly has questions to answer on this affair, which isn’t going away.
‘Given his unrelenting focus on events in Downing Street, it is only right that he observes the same standard in regard to scrutiny that he applies to the benches opposite. Otherwise, he leaves himself open to the charge of hypocrisy.’ Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: ‘We are expected to believe that a curry and beers arrived for about 30 people at 10pm, and this was a break for a work meeting?
‘No reasonable person believes Labour’s story, so why do Durham police and what were they told?’
Tory chairman Oliver Dowden said: ‘The revelations that have come to light in the past week clearly do not stack up with his [Sir Keir’s] account of events.’
While Miss Patel has declined to intervene, as the police are operationally independent, her allies voiced frustration about a lack of action from Durham Constabulary. A Home Office source said: ‘Taxpayers across the UK expect the law to be enforced equally.
‘It’s clear Starmer has more questions to answer in light of recent revelations.’
Sir Keir faced questions yesterday about the Durham Miners Hall gathering on April 30 last year during a visit to Worthing, East Sussex, ahead of Thursday’s local elections. He was also grilled on suggestions there could have been as many as 30 attendees. An Indian restaurant delivery driver claimed he had dropped off ‘quite a big order’ at the hall, estimating there were ‘probably about 30 or so’ people there, but after the Mail made further inquiries, he said he had no recollection of the delivery.
Asked if he had gone back to work after drinking beer at 10pm, Sir Keir said: ‘We were working, it was days before the election. We paused for something to eat, there was no party, no rules were broken. There’s nothing I can add to that.’
Tory MPs yesterday accused Sir Keir and Mrs Rayner of hypocrisy for calling for Boris Johnson to face a police probe or the sack over Partygate, whilst refusing to accept they should be treated the same.
Mark Jenkinson said: ‘They’re quick to call for police investigations and resignations, unless it’s into their own behaviour.’
His colleague Chris Clarkson said: ‘Week after week we had the same pained sanctimonious expression from Keir Starmer at the dispatch box as he banged on about parties, when all along he knew he’d been at one himself and so had his deputy.’
Last month Mr Johnson was fined by the Met Police for attending a No 10 event on his birthday in 2020. Richard Holden, Tory MP for North West Durham, wrote to Durham Constabulary a week ago asking it to reconsider a probe in light of the Met’s fine. Step 2 rules in England from April 12 to May 17 last year stated: ‘You must not socialise indoors except with your household or support bubble.’