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A COUNTY DURHAM MP has known as on officers to re-investigate an alleged breach of coronavirus guidelines by Labour chief Keir Starmer within the North East.
Durham police has been urged to rethink its resolution into whether or not Mr Starmer is responsible of an offence after images emerged of him ingesting beer within the constituency workplace of Durham MP, Mary Foy, in April 2021.
Richard Holden, the Tory MP for North West Durham, has written to Durham Constabulary’s Chief Constable Jo Farrell in an effort to safe a partygate-style probe into the Labour chief, as Boris Johnson continues to return below stress for gatherings held in Downing Road and Whitehall throughout lockdown.
Greater than 50 fines have been handed out by the Met Police for these occasions, with the Prime Minister and Chancellor every receiving one advantageous every to this point.
Holden, elected in 2019 because the constituency’s first ever Tory MP, wrote the letter demanding Starmer obtain the identical remedy because the Conservative chief.
Though police already cleared Starmer of breaching guidelines by “ingesting and socialising” in an MP’s workplace whereas family mixing was off-limits, Holden known as on officers to look once more.
The letter despatched to Jo Farrell at Durham police
He mentioned: “The Metropolitan Police has since issued a hard and fast penalty discover to a lot of politicians in relation to an occasion contained in the Downing Road Cupboard room on 19 June 2020, the place people might have briefly celebrated a birthday at a piece occasion. It’s reported that this occasion might have included the presence of cake in a Tupperware field.
Learn extra: Keir Starmer within the clear over beer in Durham MP’s workplace
“In mild of that call, and the assessments utilized by Metropolitan Police for the extent of a Covid laws transient, I consider there’s a sturdy public curiosity in Durham Constabulary reviewing its resolution to not examine the Starmer incident additional.”
He went on: “I don’t consider the photographed exercise meets the ‘practical however not social’ take a look at within the steering on political campaigning in marketing campaign rooms.”
In January, when the picture and video of Starmer within the constituency workplace recirculated, he mentioned the workforce had stopped working for one thing to eat throughout Hartlepool by-election campaigning, earlier than persevering with to work.
“No social gathering, no breach of the foundations and completely no comparability with the Prime Minister,” he added.
Keir Starmer, pictured right here ingesting a beer on a go to to Durham in 2021. Image: TWITTER
Learn extra: Keir Starmer says ingesting beer in Durham ‘completely no comparability’ with Boris Johnson
In a tweet alongside his letter Mr Holden mentioned: “The principles and the best way they’re interpreted ought to apply equally to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, & to those that search workplace like Keir Starmer.
“And they need to be utilized equally by the police, whether or not Met Police or Durham Police.”
The assertion was praised by Redcar MP Jacob Younger in a WhatsApp group for Tory MPs. “Nice from Ric Holden,” he mentioned.
Richard Holden MP
Durham Police and Keir Starmer’s workplace have been approached for remark.
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