Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner have been sacked by Durham Police for breaking rules banning takeaway beer and curry they drank with staff during the election campaign last year, which will come as a huge relief to the Labor Party.
A police statement said that following an investigation it was decided that the gathering in April 2021 was reasonably necessary for work purposes and that no fixed penalty notices had been issued in relation to the event.
Both Starmer and Rayner – who have always insisted no rules were broken – had promised to resign if fined, given they called on Boris Johnson to step down after he was fined for attending a social event of Downing Street breaking the deadlock.
Durham Police initially said they had no case to answer after a short video emerged of the event on April 30 last year at the office of Durham MP Mary Foy while campaigning for the nearby seat of Hartlepool.
But in May the force said it had received “significant new information” about the events and had launched a formal investigation.
A police statement on Friday said: “Following the emergence of significant new information, Durham Police have launched an investigation into a gathering at Miners’ Hall, in Redhills, Durham on 30 April 2021. This investigation has now closed.
“A significant amount of documentary and witness evidence was collected which identified the 17 participants and their activities during this gathering. After applying the evidentiary full code test, it was concluded that there was no case to answer for a breach of the regulations due to the application of an exception, namely reasonably necessary work.
“Accordingly, Durham Police will not be issuing any Fixed Penalty Notices in relation to the collection and no further action will be taken. The investigation is thorough, detailed and proportionate.
A Labor spokesman said: “Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have always been clear that no rules were broken in Durham. Police have concluded their investigation and agreed, saying there is no case to answer.
Starmer is expected to make a statement to the media and answer questions later on Friday.
The police decision ends the often-controversial saga that became known as “the beers” after videos showed Starmer holding a bottle of beer in the Durham office while colleagues around him ate takeaway food.
The decision to reopen the police investigation followed a campaign by local Conservative MP Richard Holden and more than a week of front page headlines in the Daily Mail.
Labor has always insisted it was clear in the Covid regulations at the time for Starmer, Rayner and their colleagues to eat and drink while discussing the by-election and local elections being held on the same day. Election activities were expressly permitted under the rules of the time.
Johnson got away with just one fine for multiple Downing Street events because the Metropolitan Police concluded that, as prime minister, he had a reasonable official excuse to attend them, such as giving exit speeches.
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