SIR Keir Starmer has been let off by Durham Police over his lockdown beer and curry bash. The Labour leader has escaped being fined over the Currygate scandal and will stay on as opposition chief. Angela Rayner has also been cleared by the cops so will continue as Sir Keir’s number two. A statement from […]
SIR Keir Starmer has been let off by Durham Police over his lockdown beer and curry bash.
The Labour leader has escaped being fined over the Currygate scandal and will stay on as opposition chief.
Angela Rayner has also been cleared by the cops so will continue as Sir Keir’s number two.
A statement from Durham cops said: “A substantial amount of documentary and witness evidence was obtained which
identified the 17 participants and their activities during that gathering.
“Following the application of the evidential Full Code Test, it has been concluded that there is no case to answer for a contravention of the regulations, due to the application of an exception namely reasonably necessary work.
“Accordingly, Durham Constabulary will not be issuing any fixed penalty notices in respect of the gathering and no further action will be taken.”
READ MORE POLITICS
Shockwaves were sent through Westminster this year when a photo emerged showing Sir Keir sipping on an icy beer with staffers in Durham Miners Hall.
Socialising at the time was illegal.
The Labour leader, who was in Durham after a day of by-election campaigning, insisted the £200 banquet was legal because it was a work event.
But the rules at the time were crystal clear: “There should not be any sharing of food and drink by staff who do not share a household.”
Sir Keir and Ms Rayner spent hours on end berating Boris Johnson in the Commons and media for breaking lockdown rules.
When beergate was revealed the Labour leader was quickly labelled a raging hypocrite.
At first, the event was played down by MPs and the party.
Later on, when details about the event came to light, public anger erupted.
In May Durham Police announced they would formally investigate Sir Keir and Ms Rayner, despite rejecting earlier calls for a probe.
Tory MPs accused their Labour opposites of being hypocrites because so many of them had made noisy calls for the PM to resign just over being investigated the Met, regardless of the outcome.
