KEIR Starmer has announced he will resign as Labour leader if he is handed a fixed penalty notice by Durham police for breaking Covid rules.
The opposition leader made a statement at 4pm on Monday in London confirming he would step down if fined in contrast to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has remained in post despite attending an illegal gathering in Downing Street in June 2020.
Cops launched an investigation on Friday after Starmer was filmed having a drink and curry with colleagues at an MP's office in Durham in April last year, when rules banned households mixing indoors apart from for work purposes.
Starmer said he was working and stopped to eat, and it was decided to order curry on the night as "nowhere served food", but police are probing the event after a leaked memo revealed it was pre-planned.
Previously police said they did not believe an offence had been committed.
The Conservatives have accused Starmer of "rank double standards" after he called for Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak to quit over the partygate scandal.
He said in his speech: "I am adamant no laws were broken, they were followed at all times.
READ MORE: North Lanarkshire Labour accused of bid to 'slip into power' with Tory and BUP support
"I had something to eat when working late in the evening but if the police decided to issue me a fixed penalty notice, I would of course do the right thing and step down.
"This matters because the British public deserves politicians who think the rules apply to them. They deserve politicians who hold themselves to the highest standards. They will always get that from me.
"I believe in honour, integrity, and the principle that those who make the laws must follow them.
"I had to isolate six times during Covid, pulling me away from my work and the things I love, but I did it because we followed the rules. The idea I would casually break those rules is wrong, and I don’t’ think those accusing me believe it themselves."
When asked by journalists, Starmer did not make it clear what he will do if police don't fine him retrospectively but conclude that he did infringe the rules, as they did with Dominic Cummings.
He said his accusers were "just trying to feed cynicism" about politicians.
Deputy leader Angela Rayner also confirmed she would step down if issued with a fine.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel