Deputy leader Angela Rayner also said she would resign if she’s fined for breaking lockdown regulations.
The leaders of the main opposition party are currently being investigated by Durham Police over a curry-and-beer dinner with others at the end of a visit to Labour MP Mary Foy’s office in Durham on April 30, 2021, during an election campaign.
The rules at the time prohibited indoor social mixing between households but allowed colleagues to “gather in larger groups or meet indoors where it is necessary for [their] work,” adding that “this does not include social gatherings with work colleagues.” Labour has argued that the end-of-the-day takeaway dinner was part of a work event.
In a statement on May 9, Starmer, a former prosecutor, said he’s “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,” he said. “But if the police decide to issue me with a fixed penalty notice, I would, of course, do the right thing and step down.”
Starmer said he didn’t believe those accusing him of rule-breaking actually believe he broke the rules. He accused his accusers of “trying to feed cynicism, to get the public to believe all politicians are the same.”
“I’m here to say that they’re not. I believe in honor, integrity, and the principle that those who make the laws must follow them.”
In a separate statement, Rayner said she had “always been clear” that the event concerned was a working event and that “no rules were broken.”
“Eating during a long day’s work was not against the rules. We have a prime minister who has been found to have broken the rules, lied about it, and then been fined,” she said.
“If I were issued with a fine, I would do the decent thing and step down.”
Labour has demanded Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak resign or be removed after they received fixed penalty notices from the Metropolitan Police over a birthday get-together for Johnson ahead of a Cabinet meeting on June 19, 2020.
The party also repeatedly called on Johnson to quit over “partygate” before the fixed penalty notices were issued as the Met was investigating 12 potentially law-breaking gatherings in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office during the pandemic.
Durham Police announced its “beergate” investigation on May 6.
Asked whether he took “so long” to come forward with the statement because he was “frightened” of “the huge gamble” he was taking, Starmer said he had been “absolutely clear ... from start to finish” that “no rules were broken” and he was setting out an “in principle position” by vowing to quit in the event of a fine.
The CCP virus restrictions were introduced by the Conservative government amid the spread of the virus. Labour supported all the restrictions and often accused the government of dragging its feet in introducing the rules.
