Beergate: Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have not been issued with a fine over alleged Covid rule break

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy Angela Rayner have not been issued with a fine for breaking Covid rules, Durham Police have confirmed.

The pair had been under investigation after footage showed Sir Keir drinking a beer with others inside Durham campaign offices in April 2021. Ms Rayner was also in attendence.

At the time, strict Covid rules restricted the amount of people who could gather indoors together, although both the leader and deputy leader had said that no rules were broken as it took place during a work event.

What did Durham Police say?

Police launched an investigation into the ‘beergate’ incidentafter being handed footage of the Labour leader drinking a beer while speaking with fellow collagues inside a Durham campaign office.

At the time, Sir Keir and Ms Rayner had been campaigning in the area for the local elections.

Covid rules at the time restricted indoor gathering between households in private buildings. Pub beer gardens and other outdoor venues were open at the time but were under strict social distancing rules.

A Durham Police statement said: “Following the emergence of significant new information, an investigation was launched by Durham Constabulary into a gathering at the Miners’ Hall, in Redhills, Durham on April 30 2021. That investigation has now concluded.

“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.

“The investigation has been thorough, detailed and proportionate. The final evidence supplied by participants from the local constituency was returned to Durham Police on July 5 and analysed by investigators against all the evidence before the investigation was concluded on July 8 2022.

“In line with established national policing guidelines, we will not name or otherwise identify any of those present at the gathering, all of whom have been informed of the investigation outcome by their legal representatives.”

What have Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner said about the situation?

Sir Keir and Ms Rayner had previously said they would both resign their roles at the top of the Labour party if police were to issue a fixed-penalty notice.

After the investigation into the event was launched by Durham Police, the Labour leader had said: “If police decide to issue me with a fixed penalty notice, I would of course do the right thing and step down.”

Ms Rayner echoed his calls and promised to resign as deputy leader if she were to be fined for the event.

However, both had maintained that no rules were broken, stating that they were taking a food and drink break while working in the Durham campaign offices, which was permitted under Covid rules at the time.

Following today’s announcement, Sir Keir said: “I’ve always said no rules were broken when I was in Durham. The police have completed their investigation and agreed: there is no case to answer.

“For me, this was always a matter of principle. Honesty and integrity matter. You will always get that from me.”

Ms Rayner added: “Integrity matters in politics. The contrast with the behaviour of this disgraced Prime Minister couldn’t be clearer.”