Sir Keir Starmer says he will step down as Labour leader if fined

Sir Keir Starmer says he will step down as Labour leader if fined

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to resign if police conclude that he broke Covid rules during a work event in Durham, now being dubbed “beergate”.

Sir Keir said he was “absolutely clear” that he had not broken any rules but said it was a “matter of principle and honour” after calling for the resignation of the prime minister and chancellor.

The Labour leader has been under mounting pressure after police announced they would be investigating an event at which he drank beer at an MP’s office in 2021.

Conservatives have accused Sir Keir of “rank double standards” after called for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak to resign over attending Downing Street lockdown events.

Durham police launched an inquiry on Friday after the local elections, despite having previously said they did not believe an offence had been committed.

The event  took place at the constituency office of City of Durham Labour MP Mary Foy, where Sir Keir drank beer and ate curry, while lockdown restrictions were in place.

In his statement this afternoon he said: “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.

“But if the police decide to issue me with a Fixed Penalty Notice I would, of course, do the right thing and step down.”

He added: “This matters, it matters because the British public deserve politicians who think the rules apply to them.

“They deserve politicians who hold themselves to the highest standards… and who put the country first rather than themselves.

“They will always, always get that from me.”.