More bad news for Starmer: Durham Police reopen investigating into ‘Beergate’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will be investigated by Durham police over “beergate”, it has been reported.

Durham Constabulary, who previously said they did not believe the Labour leader had breached coronavirus rules, are set to probe the Labour leader.

The Labour leader has come under pressure since footage emerged of him drinking a beer with colleagues in April 2021 in Durham during campaigning for the Hartlepool by-election.

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

In the light of the partygate scandal, Durham police were asked by Conservative MP Richard Holden (North West Durham) to reconsider their assessment that no offence was committed during the meeting.

Police will finally investigate Sir Keir Starmer over his boozy lockdown curry, it was revealed today.

Durham Police said previously they were sure the Labour leader had not breached coronavirus rules when he and party aides had beers and a takeaway in April 2021, when millions were banned from mixing indoors in most circumstances.

But the force has now said it will look again after receiving ‘significant new information over recent days’.

Starmer had been filmed drinking a bottle of lager with colleagues at the event at the offices of Durham MP Mary Foy in the run-up to last year’s local elections – and has been struggling with answers when asked about the incident all week.

Tory MP Richard Holden, backed by several ministers, also wrote to Durham Constabulary insisting there was now ‘incontrovertible’ evidence Labour had ‘lied’ about the events of a year ago, including their now disproved claim that the deputy leader Angela Rayner was not there.

And following mounting pressure and repeated questions over Sir Keir’s version of events, its detectives will investigate the claims fully, leaving the Labour leader facing the possibility of a fine, which he said last month meant the Prime Minister and Rishi Sunak must resign.

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: ‘Earlier this year, Durham Constabulary carried out an assessment as to whether Covid-19 regulations had been breached at a gathering in Durham City on April 30 2021. At that time, 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.’

The Times has reported that Durham Police decided ‘days ago’, but held off announcing it because of fears it could sway votes yesterday.

Local election results have shown that Starmer has failed to make any significant gains or inroads in what should have been a landslide against this most corrupt incompetent Tory government.

Keir Starmer performed worse than Jeremy Corbyn in last night’s local elections outside London, a leading polling expert has said. Despite the party claiming historic victories in London, Professor Sir John Curtice said that, from results announced overnight, Labour’s share of the vote and numbers of seats won outside the capital were actually lower than the last time the seats were contested in 2018.

Ian Hodson calls it when he says: “The toxic leadership of Sir Keir Starmer sees Labour lose seats to Greens on a night they should have been able to make huge gains in the North and Midlands. Looks like those who are not wanted by Labour have found an alternative and those perused by them voted Lib Dem.

The Labour results across the UK are a failure and a calamity for the hapless Labour leader. It’s clear Sir Keir Starmer should go, however, we all know what will come next, yet another leadership relaunch along with the arbitrary three-word slogan that means nothing, expensively comprised by some obscure little think tank.

If we are ever going to remove the tories Starmer must go and a united Left must be created.

#beergate