In response to reports that Keir Starmer is attempting to back out of the commitment, Labour insisted last night that he will resign if he is penalized for violating lockdown regulations.
The Labour leader’s role in the infamous “Beergate” episode, in which he was captured on camera drinking a late-night beer with activists while under lockdown last year, is expected to result in a fine, according to Durham Constabulary, which is expected to be announced in the coming days.
Although they both have stated they will resign if they receive fixed penalty notices for the incident, which happened in April of last year at the offices of City of Durham MP Mary Foy, Sir Keir and his deputy Angela Rayner both deny any wrongdoing.
The National Executive Committee (NEC), the party’s ruling body, might reject Sir Keir’s resignation and urge him to stay, a Westminster source claimed. However, the source added that Labour MPs had been informed of this.
The insider said: “It appears like he’s trying to wiggle out of it.” The source also noted that Sir Keir’s followers control the NEC. If he turns it over to the NEC, there would be a significant change.
The guarantee made by Sir Keir included no “small print,” according to Labour’s insistence last night.
His remarks speak for themselves, according to a Sir Keir spokeswoman. If he receives a fixed penalty notice, he will quit.
Police reportedly asked a Beergate incident witness if they would be willing to testify against Sir Keir in court if the fine was imposed and he decided to contest it. This information came to light yesterday.
In direct opposition to Labour’s assertion that the April 30 meeting at 10 p.m. was a work function, the witness told the Mail on Sunday that the gathering was “totally social.”
I’ve never attended a business meeting when everyone was standing around eating off plates, drinking San Miguel, and sitting at tables. A meeting is very different from what was going on here, which was totally social.
The fact that legal action has been brought up shows how seriously the police and the witnesses are taking this, according to Richard Holden, the North West Durham Conservative MP who made the police aware of the situation.
If Sir Keir Starmer or any of the other Labour MPs and supporters present decide to contest any potential fines, it demonstrates that all possible bases have been covered.
According to a Labour source, Sir Keir would be mocked if he tried to contest any fine because it would “appear like a desperate attempt to hang on” and “totally undermine the pledges he made.”
The Durham beer and curry dinner, according to Sir Keir, was a part of a business meeting, and he has denied any misconduct.