Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner have been cleared of breaching Covid rules at a 2021 event in Durham.
The announcement comes after Rayner said today that the party would table a vote of no confidence in the government in a bid to oust Boris Johnson from No 10z
A Labour Party spokesperson said in light of the news: “Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have always been clear that no rules were broken in Durham. The police have completed their investigation and have agreed saying that there is no case to answer.”
Responding to this afternoon’s decision by Durham police, Sir Keir said: “For me, this was always a matter of principle.
“Honesty and integrity matter. You will always get that from me.”
Rayner explained: “The contrast with the behaviour of this disgraced prime minister couldn’t be clearer.”
Starmer was accused of breaching Covid rules after drinking beer in Durham’s local Labour party office after 10:00pm on 30 April 2021.
He said upon the launch of the police probe into the matter in May that he would resign if handed a fine over the matter. Rayner reiterated his commitment.
Covid rules at the time stressed that such indoor political meetings were only legally permitted and “reasonably necessary” for a campaign.
A student that filmed the gathering previously told The Times newspaper that “no work was done” during the meeting.
The Sun newspaper also reported that the group of Labour campaigners ordered enough food from a local curry house to feed 30 people.
The Daily Mail published a “six-page dossier” on the row in April, saying that Labour now admits deputy leader Angela Rayner was too in attendance at the event, despite previously stating she was not.
A Labour spokesperson told the paper that the inconsistent statements regarding the gathering were “an honest mistake”.
