‘Integrity’ as beergate case drains away

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the findings of a Durham Police investigation that he did not break Covid regulations during a visit to the city while campaigning last year.

Sir Keir and his deputy Angela Rayner had promised to resign if they received fines in relation to the gathering in April 2021.

But after reopening an inquiry into the event, where Sir Keir was picture drinking from a bottle of beer, Durham Police found there was no case to answer regarding any participant.

In a statement, the force said the restrictions in place at the time had not been violated.

While Sir Keir and Ms Rayner had always maintained their innocence, the finding will have come as a huge relief to Labour.

The investigation, if it had resulted in fixed penalty notices, would have plunged the party into political turmoil just as

Westminster was grappling with the resignation of Boris Johnson.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Sir Keir said: “I’ve always said no rules were broken. For me, this was always a matter of principle. Honesty and integrity matter. You will always get that from me.”

Ms Rayner said: “Integrity matters in politics. The contrast with the behaviour of this disgraced prime minister couldn’t be clearer.”

The gathering, dubbed “beergate”, took place during a visit ahead of the Hartlepool by-election.

Sir Keir was videoed drinking a bottle of beer over a takeaway curry with colleagues in the offices of MP Mary Foy.

At the time, non-essential retail and outdoor venues including pub gardens were open, but social distancing rules, including a ban on indoor mixing between households, remained in place.

Durham Police initially investigated and found there was no evidence of rule-breaking, but looked at the case again following the intervention of North West Durham Tory MP Richard Holden in April.

A Durham Police statement released last night said: “Following the emergence of significant new information, an investigation was launched by Durham Constabulary into a gathering at the Miners’ Hall, in Redhills, Durham, on April 30 2021.

“That investigation has now concluded.

“A substantial amount of documentary and witness evidence was obtained which identified the 17 participants and their activities.

“Following application of the evidential Full Code Test, it has been concluded there is no case to answer for a contravention of regulations, due to the application of an exception, namely reasonably necessary work.

“Accordingly, Durham Constabulary will not be issuing any fixed-penalty notices, and no further action will be taken.”

SOBERING: Beer and curry allegations had been hanging over Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party but Durham Police have found there is no case to answer.