They’re all the same: The Political class think rules only apply to the Great unwashed and Working class, Starmer had his own knees up during lockdown

But when you find out they are all at it then it really stinks. Sir Keir Starmer was also filmed having a social gathering in a confined space with others. At the end of April this year, he was spotted having beers and food at a location in Durham.

It was more than disappointing to find out members of the Labour Party were what looked like for all intents and purposes socialising during lockdown having beers and food the same allegations they were making against the Tories.

On that perhaps we could have left it if it wasn’t for the fact we remembered that not so long ago a member of the Labour party front bench was demanding Jeremy Corbyn be fined for attending a dinner wake, a wake in remembrance of his friend the late Occupy Wall Street founder David Graeber.

Corbyn was hounded by the Labour party and of course the Sun newspaper.

This did, unfortunately, breach the rule of six that stated only six people or less can meet indoors or outdoors. The penalty for the breach was a £200 fine.

Jeremy Corbyn explained to the Sun, which published the photo: “I recently had dinner at a friend’s house where the number of guests eventually exceeded five. I understand that remaining at the dinner was a breach of the rule of six. I apologise for my mistake.”

The fact that not one Tory called for Jeremy Corbyn to be fined, was noted, however, the most disappointing thing was Labour Shadow mental health minister Rosena Allin-Khan said Jeremy Corbyn should be made to pay a fine after he was caught breaching the government’s ‘rule of six’ coronavirus restrictions.

Most people while not condoning the gathering could at least understand it was a wake and for many warranted special dispensation.

The Labour Shadow mental health minister said her former party leader’s actions were “inexcusable” after The Sun revealed he was pictured at a dinner party with eight other people present.

Although Mr Corbyn did apologise for the breach and said he understood “remaining at the dinner” was a mistake the frontbencher stated “I’m disappointed,” she told Sky News. “I’m glad Jeremy Corbyn has apologised. It is absolutely inexcusable to break the rules, the rules apply to everyone.

On that, we agree rules are for everyone, however, even though we are sure that many people would excuse the fact it was more of a ‘wake’ than knees up but if it is good enough to call out Jeremy Corbyn on this it is more than good enough to call out Sir Keir Starmer the leader of the Labour Party and former DDP. It’s also a matter of balance, nobody is beyond the rules.

Ironically it was the Sun again that printed these pictures but like many controversial things Starmer does, the media just don’t seem so hawkish as they were with Jeremy Corbyn…

Now Labour admits Angela Rayner at ‘beergate’ event with Sir Keir Starmer

LABOUR has admitted deputy leader Angela Rayner was present when Sir Keir Starmer was filmed drinking beer with colleagues during lockdown after previously denying it.

The party said it had made a “genuine mistake” when it insisted in January that Ms Rayner had not been at the gathering in Durham on April 30 last year.

However, the party only made the admission after the Daily Mail presented it with video offence of Ms Rayner’s presence. 

Labour has denied that any Covid lockdown rules were broken at the gathering, which took place in the constituency office of City of Durham Labour MP Mary Foy.

LABOUR dismissed an election ‘booze row’ after Sir Keir Starmer enjoyed a beer after a day on the campaign trail.

The allegation: Did Starmer’s beer with colleagues during the Hartlepool by-election break the rules?

At the time Durham was in (trigger warning) Tier 2 restrictions, which stated: “You must not socialise indoors except with your household or support bubble.” Labour insists it was a work meeting and that Starmer and the others stopped briefly for a takeaway and beer before carrying on.

The Labour leader insists he is in the clear because the event was a work meeting, and that those there simply broke off to eat a takeaway before resuming their toil.
But that is exactly the same reason used by Boris Johnson to explain why he attended events in Downing Street during lockdown.

Durham police previously said they did not believe this was a rule breach.
So what, then, happened at the Durham Miners Hall on April 30, 2021?

The event took place late in the evening in the brightly lit office of City of Durham MP Mary Foy, where a vase of Labour roses had been placed by the window.

Footage shot through the ground-floor window shows Sir Keir holding a bottle of beer and drinking from it. Another bottle is sitting on the windowsill.

The Labour leader is seen listening to Mrs Foy, who is gesticulating energetically.

The video shows two men talking and eating food by the doorway, with a third brushing past.

Another woman appears to be sitting with the Leader of the Opposition with her back to the camera.

At the end of the 43-second video clip, a laughing Sir Keir takes a swig from his bottle.

The footage is controversial because at the time, people in England were banned from socialising inside with someone from another household under ‘step two’ of the roadmap out of lockdown.

The regulations stated: ‘You must not socialise indoors except with your household or support bubble. You can meet outdoors, including in gardens, in groups of six people or two households.’

Regarding work and business, the rules stated: ‘You should work from home if you can.’

Labour claims that no rules were broken because it was a work meeting, and that those attending had paused for dinner when a takeaway was delivered.

To add to the intrigue yesterday, the Daily Mail discovered that the Durham constituency Labour party was running an online quiz that night.

Labour is insistent that Sir Keir did not attend the Zoom event – and says it was hosted from another building completely.

Mrs Foy, who was elected in 2019, wished party members a good night – though she said she would not be attending herself, she told attendees to have a ‘greasy’ evening, suggesting that they enjoy a good drink.

When Sir Keir was asked about the video in January, he insisted he had not broken any rules, despite being pictured mixing indoors last April.

He told the BBC it was fine for him to drink with others because it was a work meeting in the run-up to elections last year.

Asked if he had broken Covid rules, Sir Keir said: ‘No, I haven’t. I was in a constituency office just days before the election. We were very busy, we were working in the office and we stopped for something to eat.

‘And then we carried on working. That is the long and the short of it. No party, no breach of the rules and absolutely no comparison with the Prime Minister.’

Asked by BBC presenter Sophie Raworth whether the drinking of beer was ‘reasonably necessary for work purposes’, the Labour leader said: ‘We’d stopped to eat a takeaway whilst we were working in the office and then we carried on.’

Asked why the photograph of Mr Johnson attending a work event with wine and cheese in the Downing Street garden in May 2020 was different, he said: ‘People will look at the photos and make their own minds up.’

Again Labour Party source said Sir Keir had not broken the rules because the Durham gathering was a ‘work event’.

He was seen mixing with party workers in a constituency office in Durham on Friday 30th of April.

At the time Rules stated, that you can gather indoors for work but this doesn’t include social gatherings with colleagues.

On 8 March 2021, England began a phased exit out of lockdown. This consists of a four-step plan, forming part of the Government’s broader roadmap intended to “cautiously but irreversibly” ease lockdown restrictions. Instead of a return to the tier system, the Government confirmed that it planned to lift restrictions in all areas at the same time as the level of infection was “broadly similar” across England

England moved to step two restrictions on the 12th of April, which has seen the reopening of outdoor attractions and settings. Prior to this, as part of step one, children returned to schools and restrictions on gatherings were relaxed, with the rule of six reinstated (in outdoor settings only). Step three will be reached “no earlier than 17 May Read more…

The Labour party dismissed the allegations made at the time by the Tories using exactly the same dismissal the Tories used suggesting it was a dinner meeting when a Labour spokesman said:

“Keir was in the workplace, meeting a local MP in her constituency office and participating in an online Labour Party event. They paused for dinner as the meeting was during the evening.”