Keir Starmer vows to resign as Labour leader if fined as he looks to fight back over 'beergate' criticism

• Keir Starmer has vowed to resign if he is fined for breaching COVID rules over beergate.
• The Labour leader said "unlike those in Downing Street", he would step down if police decide he broke the rules.

Keir Starmer has vowed to resign if he is fined for breaching lockdown rules, as the Labour leader looks to regain his footing amid a brewing row over so-called "beergate."

The Labour leader has come under intense pressure after Durham Police launched an investigation into whether he breached COVID rules, after he was pictured drinking a beer with aides during a campaign event in April 2021.

In a brief statement Monday afternoon, Starmer said he remained convinced he had not broken any rules, arguing that even his critics do not really believe it, and are just pressing the case to "feed cynicism".

But should he receive a fixed penalty notice, the opposition leader promised he would "of course do the right thing and step down".

Starmer sought to put a clear line between his own response to "beergate" and Boris Johnson's refusal to resign over "partygate," saying that "unlike those in Downing Street" he would step down.

"I am not the same," he explained. "This is about me, this is about what I believe in politics. I believe in integrity and integrity requires me to take the action I have set out here.

"The prime minister has chosen not to resign... that is his choice, but it is very important the public don't think all politicians are the same."

In a statement published after Starmer spoke deputy leader Angela Rayner – who also attended the event – echoed his pledge.

She said: "I've always been clear that I was at the event in Durham working in my capacity as deputy leader and that no rules were broken. Eating during a long day's work was not against the rules.

"We have a prime minister who has been found to have broken the rules, lied about it and then been fined. If I were issued with a fine, I would do the decent thing and step down."

Starmer had pulled out of a series of events he was scheduled to attend on Monday, including an address ahead of the Queen's Speech later this week and a memorial service for the late minister James Brokenshire.

The Labour team had instead spent the day war-gaming the best next steps.

Labour has said Starmer was working, and have insisted that no rules were broken, with shadow minister Lisa Nandy calling her boss "Mr Rules".

But Conservatives have accused him of hypocrisy after Starmer said Johnson and Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, should resign for their involvement in "partygate."