Leader’s office invited 40 advisers to a Xmas party

KEIR Starmer’s office invited around 40 Labour advisers to a Christmas party in December 2020 – when Covid restrictions were in place.

The Labour leader’s aides later cancelled the event when further curbs were applied to London. The capital was subject to ‘Tier 2’ rules when the gathering was planned, which meant indoor mixing between households and gatherings of more than six outside at pubs and restaurants were banned.

Labour insists the gathering would have been allowed under these restrictions because it was intended to be at an outdoor venue and with tables limited to six.

But the party has previously criticised the Government for holding similar functions.

Labour confirmed that invitations to a Christmas gathering were sent out from Sir Keir’s office in December 2020, when London was in Tier 2. The party insists that the plan was always compliant with the rules and it was cancelled on December 15, when London was escalated to Tier 3, which closed pubs and restaurants.

However, Labour was heavily critical of the Department for education for holding a similar drinks event that Christmas under Tier 2 restrictions. The party’s festive bash was due to be held at a rooftop west London venue offering ‘boozy cheese fondue, hot toddies and heaters’, according to MailOnline.

The outdoor covered venue was described as looking like ‘a winter forest against backdrop of snow-covered hills’ and with ‘a Bavarian-style hall with eight cosy Moet & Chandon winter lodges with a private bar and cosy blankets’.

A source told Politico, the website which broke the story, that they declined an invitation to the Christmas party because they believed it appeared to be a pre-arranged breach of the rules.