Sir Keir Starmer is not “ducking” questions about “beergate”, a shadow cabinet minister has claimed, after the Labour leader pulled out of a public event which would have seen him grilled by journalists.
Labour has not offered an explanation as to why Sir Keir is no longer attending the now-cancelled briefing which was due to be hosted by the Institute for Government think tank to discuss the “challenges the country faces”.
The decision to pull out comes after a leaked memo emerged on Saturday night which revealed the takeaway event in Durham last year was pre-planned, in contrast to Labour’s earlier claims that it was decided on the night as “nowhere served food”.
Durham Constabulary announced last Friday it was investigating the claims following receipt of “significant new information”, having previously said they did not believe an offence had been established.
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said this morning he believed it was “entirely unsurprising” the event was pre-planned because that is how election campaigns work and it is “totally reasonable” that time was set aside for dinner.
Asked why Sir Keir had pulled out of today’s event, Mr Streeting said: “I have no idea why he cancelled the event and I certainly didn’t ask before I came on because I think it is such a trivial issue.” He added: “The idea that Keir is somehow ducking scrutiny is simply not true. He has led from the front during this local election campaign.”
Follow the latest updates below.
08:29 AM
‘He is going to have to search his soul’
Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said Sir Keir Starmer will have to “search his soul” if he is fined over “beergate” after the Labour leader piled enormous pressure on Boris Johnson to resign after he was fined over “partygate”.
Asked if she believed Sir Keir should step down if he is fined, Ms Donelan told Sky News: “That is a decision for Keir, not for me. What my constituents are saying is that this whole thing smacks of sheer hypocrisy given the relentless focus he has placed on ‘partygate’.
“I think this is a decision for him. He is going to have to search his soul after making this a top priority over the last few months at the expense of key issues like rising cost of living etc.”
08:14 AM
Michelle Donelan plays down chances of united Ireland referendum
Sinn Fein’s victory in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections has prompted questions about whether a referendum could be held in the future on a united Ireland.
Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, told Sky News that it is a “long way down the track in terms of a topic for conversation”.
She said: “I think let’s not overcook this one as of yet. Even Sinn Fein said it would be five years off. Their priority in the election, my understanding is that they campaigned primarily on issues like cost of living, not on a referendum. Over 50 per cent of votes were actually for unionist parties or parties that didn’t want constitutional change.”
She added: “This election does not indicate that there is a groundswell or a dramatic change in terms of wanting a split from the Union from the people of Northern Ireland and the votes cast demonstrate that.”
08:06 AM
Minister refuses to be drawn on Queen’s Speech
A Cabinet row over how to approach the Northern Ireland Protocol issue means there will not be any legislative measures about it in the Queen’s Speech tomorrow, the Telegraph understands.
Liz Truss faces Cabinet opposition to her plan to rip up the Protocol despite claims it could help to secure a devolved government in the province (you can read the full overnight story here).
The Queen’s Speech is only expected to include “anodyne” language that ministers will try to resolve the border issues.
Michelle Donelan would not be drawn on whether the Government could include a Bill to override the Protocol, telling Sky News: “I am not going to reveal what is in the full Queen’s Speech tomorrow. I am not going to reveal either way what is in the Queen’s Speech, that would break all protocol.
“What I am saying is that our first step here is to try and negotiate with the EU and find a solution.”
07:59 AM
Minister makes clear Government’s preference is to negotiate with EU
Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said the Government’s current focus is to negotiate with the EU to try to remedy problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol.
She told Sky News: “Our go to to begin with is to negotiate with the EU and try and resolve this problem and find a workable solution.”
The UK and EU have been locked in talks for months, with a breakthrough remaining elusive. Ms Donelan suggested efforts could be stepped up in the wake of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections.
She said: “We are negotiating. We are working at pace. And we will be over the coming days trying to rapidly find a solution, working with the EU.”
07:58 AM
Minister: Scrapping Northern Ireland Protocol ‘on the table’
The Northern Ireland Assembly elections saw Sinn Fein become the largest party, with the DUP in second place. Attention has now turned to whether the two parties will be able to agree to form an Executive.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the DUP, has said he will refuse to join a new administration until the Northern Ireland Protocol is scrapped.
Work remains ongoing between the UK and the EU to try to resolve issues with the post-Brexit border rules but ministers are still insistent that unilaterally scrapping the protocol is “on the table” as an option.
Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, told Sky News: “The Northern Ireland Protocol is not working and I believe the concerns about that were reflected in the recent result that we saw in the election. We are working at pace to resolve this. Nothing is off the table.”
Asked directly if the Government could scrap the protocol, Ms Donelan said: “That is on the table as one of the options. Our first attempt here is to try and negotiate with the EU. We want to resolve this at pace.”
07:57 AM
‘I just don’t think that is going to happen’
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, was asked if Sir Keir Starmer’s position would be untenable if he is fined over “beergate”.
Mr Streeting refused to be drawn, telling BBC Breakfast: “I answered this question the other day. I just don’t think that is going to happen. I am just not entertaining the prospect that Keir Starmer is going to be fined.”
07:39 AM
‘Let’s not forget the police have looked at this before’
Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health secretary, told BBC Breakfast there is “no reason to believe” the police will reach a different conclusion on “beergate” this time around having previously decided they did not believe an offence had been established.
Mr Streeting said: “And in this case let’s not forget the police have looked at this before. Ok, they are looking at it again now. There have been lots of calls particularly from the Conservative Party for them to do so.
“They are looking at it again now. I have no reason to believe, as I said on your programme the other day, that looking at it this time will be any different to what we saw before.”
07:27 AM
Wes Streeting insists Keir Starmer is not ‘ducking scrutiny’
Sir Keir Starmer had been due to attend a briefing hosted by the Institute for Government think tank this afternoon to discuss “the challenges the country faces”. The event has now been cancelled. (You can read the overnight story here).
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, was asked why the Labour leader had pulled out of the event as it was suggested to him that Sir Keir may not have wanted to face questions from journalists.
Mr Streeting told BBC Breakfast: “I have no idea why he cancelled the event and I certainly didn’t ask before I came on because I think it is such a trivial issue. But the idea that Keir has been dodging questions, I mean he has been out all weekend, even after a local election campaign where we did very well.
“He has been out thanking Labour teams, particularly in the places where we did particularly well in these elections and he has put himself in front of the cameras to answer journalists’ questions wherever he has been.
“So the idea that Keir is somehow ducking scrutiny is simply not true. He has led from the front during this local election campaign.”
07:21 AM
‘I just don’t understand the controversy’
Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said he believed it is “totally reasonable” that time was “set aside for dinner” at the “beergate” gathering.
He told BBC Breakfast: “One of the remarkable things about that story in the Mail is that it was entirely unsurprising and not at all revelatory for anyone who has been involved in an election campaign.
“When you go on visits around the country… a senior politician like Keir Starmer, you don’t just rock up in a place like Durham, wander round a bit aimlessly and then hope for the best.
“Everything is planned. Everything is arranged. And it is totally reasonable that during the course of the day time would be set aside for dinner and it doesn’t contradict anything that Keir has said all the way along about the fact that he was in Durham during an election campaign, had some dinner, carried on working and I just don’t understand the controversy.”
07:18 AM
Good morning
Good morning and welcome to today’s politics live blog.
Westminster is preparing for tomorrow’s Queen’s Speech when the Government will set out is legislative agenda for the next parliamentary session.
But before we get to that ministers are wrestling with the situation in Northern Ireland while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is facing renewed pressure over “beergate”.
It promises to be a busy day and I will guide you through the key developments.
