Durham Police to Investigate Kier Starmer over breaking lockdown rules

I love a well balanced opener to a thread.

Just telling the truth, volver.

The OP is a bit weird.

However, I am pleased that this is being re-looked at.

The initial enquiry by the police, showed no case to answer.

We shall see what this further enquiry brings.

It seems fair to me that if Boris needed to be investigated, then so should Keir Starmer. Simples!

Gongoozler

It seems fair to me that if Boris needed to be investigated, then so should Keir Starmer. Simples!

Of course don’t forget that Durham police have already investigated and decided that no rules were broken. So that was as you suggested - fair.

However pressure from Durham Tory MPs and the media have insisted that it is re-looked at.

It’s the only thing that they’ve even remotely been able to pin on Keir since he became leader and, as has been pointed out it has already been investigated. Of course there was the donkey gate incident. Methinks the opposition are getting pretty desperate.

One assumes that if Durham police decide that their first conclusion was incorrect, that a fine will be issued to all attendees.

Fines will be paid.

It appears the media did more investigation than the cursory initial efforts of the police which is how we learned that Angela Rayner was there, their hotel was serving food until 9pm and curries were ordered for lots of people.

This needs to be cleared up in the non partisan voters minds.

I heard on the news that the police said they had received ‘significant new information’. The mind boggles.

It's piffle. They were working. They ate a meal. The Conservative party and the Conservative papers have chased and chased a closed case putting heavy pressure on the police so that they had to reopen it.

I do hope the additional fines are arriving at Number 10 today.

Good to see you back from yesterday’s shopping Daisy, I was beginning to worry!?

Whitewavemark2

One assumes that if Durham police decide that their first conclusion was incorrect, that a fine will be issued to all attendees.

Fines will be paid.

Will they? That admits wrongdoing. Why not stand up and fight it and show that the police bowed to Tory pressure on them. If it gets that far I hope he does challenge it.

Like you WWM2, I'm happy to see this reopened so that police can determine one way or another whether an offence was committed. If the police come to the same conclusion as before then hopefully it will put this matter to bed once and for all. If the police find otherwise and Starmer is fined and forced to resign then it could well leave Labour stronger in many respects.

Many commentators are saying yesterday's election was a vote against the Tories rather than a vote for Labour. Starmer is deemed not exciting enough. If that's the case and his "dullness" could cause Labour to lose the next election then far better to find a new leader now someone who wants to do the job of Prime Minister as opposed to Johnson who only ever wanted to become Prime Minister - a major difference.

If the "new evidence" is the picture of Starmer eating a curry, the one printed by the DM where he's wearing a blue sweatshirt, then Richard Holden is going to look very silly indeed.

Since when have PM’s had to be exciting? Was Cameron exciting? May? I don’t understand this media obsession with charisma and exciting. If that gives us PM’s like Johnson heaven help us.

Germanshepherdsmum

Good to see you back from yesterday’s shopping Daisy, I was beginning to worry!?

How odd. Thank you, but why? We all have other lives. Mine wasn't that exciting yesterday as I took some pain killers when I got home and fell asleep. Off to do the second part of the shopping this afternoon (annoyingly I can't get "free from" food in the cheaper shop).

Would you like me to let you know when I'm back?

DaisyAnne

Whitewavemark2

One assumes that if Durham police decide that their first conclusion was incorrect, that a fine will be issued to all attendees.

Fines will be paid.

Will they? That admits wrongdoing. Why not stand up and fight it and show that the police bowed to Tory pressure on them. If it gets that far I hope he does challenge it.

If anyone knows Starmer will?

OakDryad

Like you WWM2, I'm happy to see this reopened so that police can determine one way or another whether an offence was committed. If the police come to the same conclusion as before then hopefully it will put this matter to bed once and for all. If the police find otherwise and Starmer is fined and forced to resign then it could well leave Labour stronger in many respects.

Many commentators are saying yesterday's election was a vote against the Tories rather than a vote for Labour. Starmer is deemed not exciting enough. If that's the case and his "dullness" could cause Labour to lose the next election then far better to find a new leader now someone who wants to do the job of Prime Minister as opposed to Johnson who only ever wanted to become Prime Minister - a major difference.

If the "new evidence" is the picture of Starmer eating a curry, the one printed by the DM where he's wearing a blue sweatshirt, then Richard Holden is going to look very silly indeed.

Starmer won’t be forced to resign?

MayBee70

Since when have PM’s had to be exciting? Was Cameron exciting? May? I don’t understand this media obsession with charisma and exciting. If that gives us PM’s like Johnson heaven help us.

Oh, I agree Maybee70.

Sadly, we live in a culture of personality. If you have time, watch Susan Cain's TED talk here:

www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts

Eleven minutes in if you don't want to watch the whole thing.

In the photo of Kier Starmer eating curry and wearing a blue sweatshirt, he is sitting next to Frank Dobson, who died in 2019.
The original ‘beer drinking’ photo was taken through a window by a snooping peeping Tom.

Indeed it was J52 taken in 2015 when the two campaigning in London. Blatant breach of IPSO press code during a period of election "purdah" - distortion of images to mislead.

J52

In the photo of Kier Starmer eating curry and wearing a blue sweatshirt, he is sitting next to Frank Dobson, who died in 2019.
The original ‘beer drinking’ photo was taken through a window by a snooping peeping Tom.

I wonder if the snooping peeping Tom was Dominic Cummings?

OakDryad

Indeed it was J52 taken in 2015 when the two campaigning in London. Blatant breach of IPSO press code during a period of election "purdah" - distortion of images to mislead.

I wonder if, tomorrow, the LP will report various papers to the Press Standards people. I do hope so.

Why haven’t the Durham police re- investigated Cummings?

LilacChaser

Just that really.

Serves the mealy-mouthed hypocrite right.

On another thread I mentioned lots of people who caught covid while lavishing praise on facemasks and their so-called effectiveness. Here's one of them. Not once, but twice

Will you be the mealy mouthed hypocrite if the police conclude there’s no case to answer LilacChaser? Yes, I thought you would own up to that, as it would be a fair cop after all.

I think it’s a good thing to investigate, it should be a level playing field. If he has broken the rules, it will be as serious as Boris breaking them. If he’s done it 6 times, particularly in periods where lockdown rules were at their most stringent, the same punishment is called for.