Keir Starmer’s Beergate & £200 curry lockdown-breaking bash was planned in ADVANCE, leaked memo reveals
SIR KEIR Starmer's Beergate and £200 curry lockdown-breaking bash was planned in ADVANCE, a leaked memo has revealed.
The bombshell document shows that the beer and curry gathering - which has put the Labour leader under intense scrutiny - had in fact been planned ahead of time.
The document allegedly blows apart Starmer's version of the lockdown-breaking events - as he faces intense backlash from his party and the British public.
The forward-planning document, referred to as an ‘op note,’ shows that Keir's team were already planning to get the booze and food from Spice Lounge.
And at the top of the leaked memo, staff ironically reminded the politicians that the Covid level alert was 'national lockdown' with a warning to wear 'face coverings whilst indoors at all times.'
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But Sir Keir was snapped without a mask drinking a pint of beer at the event.
A Labour source told the paper: "During a fast-moving campaign, the op note doesn't always keep up with events so it would be wrong to assume that activities occurred at the times originally planned.
"For example, it's been documented that the takeaway was late."
There are also fresh reports that Starmer didn't go back to work after eating his curry - and that staff were just "getting pissed on the jolly."
An insider told : “There was no work done after the curry.
"It has been claimed that Starmer worked during the curry and then after the curry.
"None of those two things happened. He did not go back to work to the best of my knowledge.”
They added: "They were just there drinking.
“This made some people feel uncomfortable because they knew there was a risk we could be accused of breaking the rules.
"They were just getting pissed. They were just there for a jolly.
"I wouldn’t say they were hammered but they were definitely a little bit tipsy by the end.”
It comes after Durham Police confirmed that they were opening a fresh investigation into the event, which took place on April 30 last year.
KEIR FEAR
The Labour leader is understood to be "extremely worried" after Durham Police launched a probe.
He has reportedly begged Labour peer and former Justice Secretary Lord Falconer to put a legal defence team put together.
It comes after Sir Keir repeatedly called for Boris Johnson to quit after cops began investigating lockdown-busting No10 parties.
Durham Police yesterday confirmed they were probing Beergate after “significant new information” emerged about a breach of Covid rules at Labour’s HQ.
Sir Keir was filmed swigging San Miguel at Durham Miners Hall in April last year while indoor socialising was banned in England.
Groups of six could meet outside pubs and restaurants at the time but Sir Keir claimed none were open.
The Sun later revealed £200-worth of curry had been ordered for 30 people.
The matter was dismissed by cops in January - but it emerged Angela Rayner was also at the bash.
Labour previously denied the Shadow Chancellor was there but was forced into a humiliating U-turn last week.
And the memo, which has now come to light, also lists ‘AR’ and ‘KS’ as the two senior politicians at the event.
The pair have been vocal in slamming Boris for a nine-minute birthday party at Downing Street that saw the PM and Rishi Sunak slapped with £50 fines.
Sir Keir said in January Boris “needs to do the decent thing and resign” after he became embroiled in the allegations.
He repeated the mantra dozens of times on TV and in the Commons.
The sentiment was shared by firebrand Rayner, who demanded the PM go simply for being under investigation.
She said: "Boris Johnson’s Downing Street is under police investigation, how on Earth can he think he can stay on as Prime Minister?”
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Sir Keir, former director of public prosecutions, said on Friday: "As I've explained a number of times, we were working in the office, we stopped for something to eat - no party, no breach of the rules.
"The police obviously have got their job to do, we should let them get on with it. But I'm confident that no rules were broken."