Keir Starmer going through new claims he broke Covid lockdown guidelines in 2020 | Politics | News | EUROtoday

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Keir Starmer is below hearth this afternoon over options he could have damaged Covid lockdown guidelines in 2020 when working with a voice coach.

A brand new e-book about Sir Keir’s time as chief of the opposition has revealed he employed actress and communications abilities coach Leonie Mellinger to enhance his speeches, and thought of her position “so essential that Mellinger even qualified for ‘key worker’ status during the pandemic.”

It provides: “She visited Labour headquarters in a mask on Christmas Eve in 2020, advising Starmer as he considered his response to Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal.”

The Guido Fawkes web site has prompt this will have been a breach of the Covid guidelines on the time, which had London in a ‘Tier 4’ lockdown demanding that non-essential employees earn a living from home.

It additionally highlights how the federal government’s listing of important employees wouldn’t have included a political vocal coach.

The Conservatives have now written to the Prime Minister demanding solutions, with shadow paymaster common Richard Holden demanding an unbiased investigation.

In his letter, Mr Holden cites Sir Keir’s repeated insistence that he adopted all Covid guidelines.

He argues: “This latest revelation proves this not to be the case and you have serious questions to answer.”

“A breach of [the rules] would be a breach of the law. At the time of the Tier 4 restrictions, the sanction at the time for breaching the restrictions was a Fixed Penalty Notice.”

He units out six questions Sir Keir must reply:

  • Does the Prime Minister suppose that it is a breach of the legislation?
  • To clear up any date will you appoint an unbiased investigator?
  • Did the Labour Party obtain authorized recommendation about methods to get round Covid restrictions?
  • In this era did Ms Mellinger contract COVID-19?
  • Do you suppose it will be proper for different members of the general public to get appearing classes throughout tier 4 restrictions?
  • Did you obtain authorized recommendation about making Ms Mellinger a key employee?

Mr Holden concludes: “There is a strong public interest into your conduct during the pandemic, and it is clear from these revelations that not only have you misled the public, but you had a casual disregard for the law at a time. When so many people were making such difficult sacrifices all in the service of advancing your own political career.”

“You have said ‘honesty and decency matters’ – I hope you will treat these questions to you with the same standards you asked of others.”

Keir Starmer spent months hammering Boris Johnson over so-called Partygate, for which he was fined by the Met Police after consuming a sandwich within the Cabinet Office for his birthday.

In 2022 Keir Starmer was positioned below investigation by Durham Police over the so-called ‘Beergate row’, after he was photographed ingesting beer with Labour Party campaigners in questionable authorized circumstances, nevertheless was finally discovered to haven’t dedicated an offence.

That yr he advised voters in a press convention: “People were entitled to expect that politicians would follow the same rules as everyone else.”

“The idea I would casually break those rules is wrong, and frankly I don’t believe those accusing me believe it themselves. They are just trying to feed cynicism to make the public believe all politicians are the same.”

“I believe in honour, integrity and the principle that those who make the laws must follow them. And I believe politicians who undermine that principle undermine trust in politics, undermine our democracy and undermine Britain.”

A Labour Party spokesperson advised the Express: “The rules were followed”.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2008834/keir-starmer-lockdown-rules-voice-coach