Sir Keir Starmer has been cleared of an allegation that he broke lockdown rules after being filmed drinking a beer in an office.
The Labour leader had insisted he did nothing wrong while in the office of City of Durham MP Mary Foy in the run-up to the Hartlepool by-election in April last year.
Political opponents had compared the incident to allegations of lockdown-breaking Downing Street partie. However, Durham police have now confirmed they do not believe any offence was committed.
“Durham Constabulary has reviewed video footage recorded in Durham on April 30 2021,” a spokesman for the force said in a statement.
“We do not believe an offence has been established in relation to the legislation and guidance in place at the time and will therefore take no further action in relation to this matter.”
The photo, taken through a window, showed Sir Keir drinking from a bottle indoors while standing with colleagues. After it was first published in the Daily Mail, he argued at the time that “it was perfectly lawful to meet for work”.
At that time, England was in step two of the road map out of the third lockdown, with indoor mixing between households only allowed for work purposes.
“I was in a constituency office just days before the election. We were very busy, We were working in the office,” he told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme last month.
“We stopped for something to eat and then we carried on working. No party, no breach of the rules and absolutely no comparison with the Prime Minister,” he added, referencing the Downing Street “bring your own booze” party.
More on Boris Johnson
The all-clear for the Leader of the Opposition comes as the Metropolitan Police investigation into 12 gatherings in Downing Street and Whitehall during the pandemic continues.
Boris Johnson, who was at at least three of the events, faces a make-or-break week in Westminster after shaking up his Downing Street team in the wake of five No 10 resignations, amid pressure from his own party over the scandal.
More than 100 Conservative MPs could turn against him if his leadership is ultimately put to a confidence vote, i has established.
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