Beergate: Police to investigate Sir Keir Starmer over allegations he broke lockdown rules

Police said they now had 'significant new information'

Sir Keir Starmer will be investigated by police over allegations he broke lockdown rules while drinking with colleagues, police revealed on Friday saying they now had "significant new information". The Labour leader has been under scrutiny since footage emerged of him drinking a beer with colleagues in Durham while campaigning for the Hartlepool by-election in April 2021. At the time, social distancing rules, which included a ban on indoor mixing between households, were in place. Durham Constabulary said: "Earlier this year, Durham Constabulary carried out an assessment as to whether Covid-19 regulations had been breached at a gathering in Durham City on April 30 2021. "At that time, it was concluded that no offence had been established and therefore no further action would be taken. "Following the receipt of significant new information over recent days, Durham Constabulary has reviewed that position and now, following the conclusion of the pre-election period, we can confirm that an investigation into potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations relating to this gathering is now being conducted." The news comes after the Met Police last month fined Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak over lockdown breaches during parties held at Downing Street. At the time the Met said it had issued 50 fines for breaches of lockdown regulations in Whitehall and Downing Street. After Johnson apologised for the breach in the Commons, he was savaged by Sir Keir who labelled it "half-hearted" and called for him to resign.

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