The events that left Labour’s leader in a tight spot
April 30, 2021
Sir Keir Starmer and colleagues, including Angela Rayner, drink beer and have a takeaway at the Durham constituency office of Labour MP Mary Foy during the local election campaign.
May 1, 2021
A photograph of Sir Keir drinking a beer is published by The Sun newspaper, as Labour dismisses criticism from Conservatives as “pathetic”. A short video of Sir Keir then emerges some months later.
April 29, 2022
Labour admits that Angela Rayner was present on the night and said it made a “genuine mistake” in a previous denial, as it emerges up to 30 people may have been at the gathering.
May 6, 2022
After saying in February that it believed that no Covid rules had been broken, Durham Constabulary confirms that it will open an investigation after the force received “significant new information”.
May 7, 2022
A leaked document emerges that shows the beer and takeaway event had formed part of Sir Keir’s itinerary for his Durham visit, undermining Labour’s claim that it was a spur-of-the moment event.
May 9, 2022
In the wake of mounting political pressure over their leadership, Sir Keir and Ms Rayner both pledge to resign if they are given a fixed penalty notice by Durham police.