Beergate: Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner given questionnaires from Durham Police over alleged Covid breach

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner have both received police questionnaires in relation to the Beergate investigation.

Durham Constabulary are currently investigating whether Covid rules were breached at a Labour work event in April 2021 after Mr Starmer was filmed drinking a beer and eating a takeaway curry.

Sir Keir previously said that he would resign as leader of the party if he was fined by police for breaking Covid rules, but maintains that he believes no rules were broken.

What did the Labour Party say?

The party confirmed that both the leader and deputy leader have been handed the questionnaires, with a spokesperson saying: “Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have received questionnaires from Durham Constabulary.”

What are Keir starmer and Angela Rayner alleged to have done?

In April 2021, Sir Keir was filmed drinking a beer and eating a takeaway curry in Durham after a day of campaigning with colleagues.

Ms Rayner was also in attendance at the event, with the alleged rule breaking branded ‘Beergate’ in the media.

At the time, non-essential retail and outdoor venues were opened but operated with social distancing. However, there was a ban on indoor mixing between household, leading many to alledge that the Labour politicians broke rules by drinking and eating indoors with colleagues.

Labour has insisted that no rules were broken at the event, arguing that the food and drink was consumed between work events, which were allowed at the time.

Will Keir Starmer resign?

The Beergate investigation came after several senior Tory politicians - including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak - were fined for Covid breaches at illegal gatherings in Downing Street and Whitehall.

The scandal was dubbed Partygate, with many calling on the Prime Minister to resign over the fixed-penalty notice and the consequent publiciation of the highly-anticipated Sue Gray report.

Sir Keir was vocal in his calls for Mr Johnson to quit over the scandal, despite the Tory leader inisting that he is staying in the job.

In contrast, Sir Keir has said that he will resign as leader of the Labour Party if he is issued a fixed-penalty notice for the Beergate event as a point of “integrity”.

However, he has insisted that no rules were broken at the event.

During a press conference, he said: “It is about integrity. I believe in integrity, and integrity requires me to take the course of action I have set out here, if in the event, I get a fixed-penalty notice.

“I believe that politicians who undermine that principle, undermine trust in politics, undermine our democracy and undermine Britain.

“I am absolutely clear that no laws were broken. They were followed at all times. I simply had something to eat while working late in the evening as any politician would do days before an election.

“If the police decided to issue me with a fixed penalty notice I would course do the right thing and step down.”

Ms Rayner has echoed his comments, also pledging to quit at deputy leader if any fixed-penalty notices are issued.