LIES AND THE QUESTIONS THAT WON’T GO AWAY

Claim: There was nowhere else to eat

What Sir Keir says: In Durham, all restaurants and pubs were closed so takeaways were the only way you could eat. The unanswered questions: Evidence suggests Sir Keir’s team had a number of options. The Mail on Sunday established the Radisson Blu, where Sir Keir was staying, served food on its terrace until 9pm. Local newspaper coverage suggests 13 restaurants were serving food nearby.

Claim: Event was ‘reasonably necessary for work’

What Sir Keir says: They were working and simply stopped to eat, there was no breach of the rules. The unanswered questions: Indoor socialising was illegal at the time. There was an exemption for indoor meetings during the election campaign if they could be shown to be ‘reasonably necessary for work’. Separate guidance stated: ‘There should not be any sharing of food and drink by staff who do not share a household.’

Claim: The group continued to work after eating

What Sir Keir says: His story has shifted. In January he said the meal took place ‘between meetings’. He has now suggested he continued working during the meal.

The unanswered questions: Sir Keir said it was ‘absurd’ to suggest the meal was the end of his working day. He stated he went on to record clips for social media. But only one video appears to have been recorded that day – in daylight hours.

Claim: Angela Rayner was not there

What Labour says: In January the party insisted she ‘wasn’t there’. But it admitted last week she had been present after the Mail found video of her at the miners hall. The unanswered questions: Labour has failed to explain how the ‘mistake’ occurred, when a simple question to Mrs Rayner could have clarified the issue.