Durham Police have launched an investigation to determine whether Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer broke lockdown rules when he attended a gathering at an MP’s office on April 30, 2021.
Sir Keir was videoed drinking a bottle of beer inside the constituency office of Durham MP, Mary Foy, alongside party activists in April last year. The Labour leader said at the time that he had stopped working to have some food and drink while working on the Hartlepool by-election campaign, and insisted that he had not broken the rules.
Following an assessment of the incident now dubbed 'Beergate' which was conducted earlier this year, Durham Police concluded that Sir Keir was not guilty of any wrongdoing and would face no further action.
However, after “significant new information” came to light, the police have now opted to investigate further.
The Durham Constabulary said in a statement: “At that time [when the initial assessment was carried out], it was concluded that no offence had been established and therefore no further action would be taken.
“Following the receipt of significant new information over recent days, Durham Constabulary has reviewed that position and now, following the conclusion of the pre-election period, we can confirm that an investigation into potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations relating to this gathering is now being conducted.”
Prior to the change of course, North West Durham’s Conservative MP, Richard Holden, had written to Durham Constabulary last week asking them to reconsider investigating the gathering.
Despite the new probe, the Labour party has defended its leader and continued to insist that no rules were broken during the gathering.
“We're obviously happy to answer any questions there are and we remain clear that no rules were broken,” the party said in its own responding statement.
According to Step 2 rules in place during April 2021, non-essential retail and outdoor hospitality venues such as pub gardens were open, but social distancing rules remained in force which stipulated that gathering indoors with individuals from outside your own household or support bubble remained illegal.
Although exemptions were in place for “work purposes”, the rules in place did not specify that socialising at work was allowed.
Whether or not Sir Keir will receive a fixed penalty notice for breaking lockdown rules will depend on police judgement of whether eating and drinking in a group indoors was “reasonably necessary for work” on the part of those in attendance.
Sir Keir’s consumption of alcohol at the gathering may also hold some sway over how the police interprets the nature of the event.
The Labour leader has been a vocal critic of prime minister Boris Johnson and others in government for breaking lockdown rules, calling for the PM to resign over the Partygate scandal.
The Metropolitan Police are continuing their investigation into Partygate, with 12 gatherings under investigation which took place in Downing Street and other government buildings during lockdown.
With Sir Keir now under investigation for a possible breach of lockdown laws himself, Holden said that it was “vital” for “the man who wants to be prime minister” to be “held to the same standard as the prime minister and everybody else.”
He added: “For the last fortnight, Starmer and Labour HQ have obfuscated, denied, lied, and attempted to smear in an attempt to shield Starmer and other senior Labour figures from reasonable questions which they have been unwilling to answer. I am glad that they will now have to answer them.”
Image taken from Wikimedia Commons
