As Skwawkbox exclusively revealed, right-winger’s offer to step down ‘if fined’ is a weasel con – because Durham police do not issue fines for old offences. Now parting comment at press conference called to perpetrate the scam confirms
Keir Starmer’s offer to resign if he receives a fine for his Durham ‘beergate’ lockdown breach is a con – and his own words at his press conference this evening have given the game away and confirmed Skwawkbox’s earlier exclusive.
As Starmer was leaving the conference, Sky’s Beth Rigby asked what he would do if he was found to have broken the law but is not fined – and Starmer replied that the penalty for a breach is a fine, making it clear that as far as he’s concerned, no fine means no breach means no resignation:
Dominic Cummings broke lockdown laws by driving sixty miles to Barnard Castle and back while infected with Covid and was not fined – because Durham police force has a policy of not issuing ‘retrospective’ fines for ‘old’ breaches, even though by definition every breach is a past event. So even if they find Starmer broke the law, he has no intention of stepping down as long as the policy holds and they don’t fine him.
Starmer’s supposed show of integrity is nothing more than a calculated, cynical manoeuvre to scam the people of this country into believing he’s any different to Boris Johnson and to get the press off his back.
This con deserves to backfire on him no less than Labour’s original lies about his beer event in Durham.
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” I don’t see the word nationalisation there…”
One slimy shite, that.
How LOW can he go, using the “forensic” Dominic Cummings Defence when most people know he’s as genuine as a 45p coin. (“9 bob note”, in old money)? Would you buy a used-car from this man?
This was pointed out by one of the commentators
– I cannot remember which program!
The Durham police have not SO FAR issued a
retrospective fine. An example is Cummings – as
was pointed out by commentator – where the
police said he had (retrospectively) broken the
law but they would not issue a fine. It is thought
that the police would not likely break
a precedent for the Leader of the Opposition ..
Reply to Holby
If the Durham police did not impose a fine on a ( at that time) leading Tory who was an advisor to Johnson I can’t see how they could impose a fine of Starmer now without accusations of partiality . That’s clearly what he is banking on.
PS Given that he dismisses “retrospective”
breaches of the Law it is a pity that Starmer
does replicate this with regard to new
Labour Party rules ..
“Does replicate” should have been
“Does NOT replicate ..”
I think?
Patel should instruct Durham plod to issue fines retrospectively. Of other forces can then there’s nowt stopping her from doing so.
Keef being binned by retrospective action…Now that would THE definition of poetic justice.
If Durham police don’t issue a fine and Starmer and Rayner wriggle of the hook this time you can be absolutely sure that other photos / footage of them and/or members of the PLP, staffers or Labour peers will turn up unless they all adhered to the rules at all times which I don’t believe for one minute.
This issue is not going to go away because people are furious about the way rich and powerful people flouted the laws that the rest of us complied with in many cases enduring heartache and hardship along the way.
Also Starmer and Rayner have made such a song and dance about Johnsons “criminality” in this matter that once Starmers Labours breaches of the rules come out the electorate will see Rayner and him as the manipulative unprincipled hypocrites that most of us posting on this site know them to be
>> Starmer and Rayner have made such a song and dance
>> about Johnsons “criminality” …
Well that was the thing wasn’t it? The song and dance!
Rayner is a loose cannon – and Starmer is devoid of
anything approaching political nous.
For the first and only time .. I agree with Jacob Rees Mogg
“They have been hoist by their own petard ..”
Meanwhile, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute published its annual report on 25th April.
It found the last year, for the first time, the world spending on armaments had exceeded $2 trillion.
40% of that figure had been spent by the US.
The next 4 highest spenders, of which the UK is one, accounted for 26%
All the other 200-ish countries accounted for the other 34%.
It’s a mad world in which we are amongst the biggest lunatics.
Definitely a stunt.
Tonight’s Newsnight had Blairite John McTernan on, boasting how any contest – that in all likelihood won’t be happening – would be between Rachel Reeves, Yvette Cooper; Lisa Nandy and Wes Streeting… really diverse lineup there. /s
If the PLP had any courtesy they wouldn’t seek to block a left-winger or even centre-left candidate from standing. But
we all know they will because there are a group of people in the PLP whose entire political existence is built around about stymieing and preventing the left’s representation in this country’s parliament. They’ll fight ferociously for the Tory dominated status quo while denying the fact are subverting democratic choice.
When Starmer does go, either soon or surely after a snap election, if The PLP seek to make a future leadership contest the preserve of a unrepresentative, narrow right-wing sect who dominate the PLP – thanks to Blair’s legacy of stuffing the PLP with fellow travellers. Then the unions absolutely should pull their backing.
He is a leading lawyer and he assures everyone that he did nothing unlawful and broke no rules, so if the police fine him he would of necessity have to appeal. The right of appeal is a well-established legal prineiple in the UK and elsewhere, so to waive the opportunity to prove his innocence – and to orotect his own reputation for good legal judgement – would be to set a very poor example. The right of appeal exists to help people who consider they have been wrongfully convicted (and similar) to ettempt to clear their names.He should be encouraging people to be aware of and to exercise their rights.
The Channel Four News presenter at least noticed that this was the obvious question, but did not press the matter. On Newsnight it went right over Kirsty Wark’s head – seemingly.
And the same argument is valid for an adverse finding with no fine attached.
The newspapers including the independent who normally worship the knight of the realm are saying hes damaged goods and should go.They then describe him as basically a plank “with nil personality and even less apeal to the working class than johnson ..From my own perspective I couldn’t care less if he’s a dullard or a liar as they all are
.He and the Tramp” Rayner must go and take there bankrupt labour party with them.Britain and europe cannot afford another dangerous Fascist leader whos rise from nowhere has been orchestrated from the very beginning.Hes a very dangerous man and there are plenty of people who wish to see the back of the dangerous duo.and certainly a growing number of voters..The voters are not as stupid as potrayed.by the media.when they were betrayed by the labour party and clearly havnt forgotten..especially north of Watford.
Reply to Joseph O’Keefe
I am a frequent critic of Angela Rayner- I really can’t stand her- but I take strong exception to your reference to her as ” the Tramp Rayner.” This is a disgraceful ,sexist, indeed misogynistic put down of any woman. It is totally unacceptable and says more about you than it does about her.
Starmer – Once a liar – Always a liar !
Starmer – Once a liar – Ten times a liar – Always a liar.
We are not as stupid as he thinks we are.
Jonathan Aitken and Jeffrey Archer held similar press conference grandstanding, presenting themselves as wronged, moral paragons of virtue. Aitken’s “simple sword of truth and the trusty shield of British fair play” speech hubris is on a par with Starmer’s.
Generally, the more someone declares their virtue, the more the truth is the opposite.
The guardian joins a chorus of Labour MPs, in what looks like a coordinated push promoting Starmer’s ‘integrity’ – if he had any integrity he wouldn’t have lied his way to the leadership with 10 pledges, and betrayed his ‘dear friend’ Jeremy Corbyn who he discarded when no longer useful to his leadership ambitions. Who’d want a friend like Starmer?
Reminds me of the old below the stairs saying;
“The louder he spoke of his honour, the faster we counted the spoons.”
‘Slippery Starmer’ (?) and today ‘The Trilateral Commission’s Man in the UK’ calls for Cost of Living Crisis Crumbs (?)
Unlike the great Cost of Living Peoples Charter launched by Leeds & Wakefield Unite Community in Wakefield today:
*Scrap VAT on energy bills.
* A £500 Annual Winter Fuel Payment 4 All.
* No extra charges on pre-payment meters.
* No disconnections – gas, electric, phones.
* A 20% Wealth Tax (will bring in £69b).
* Regulate Food Prices.
* Provide free school meals & during holidays.
* Scrap NI Increases.
* £15 ph minimum wage.
* End pay freezes.
* Raise SSP to weekly min wage level.
* Add £20 a week to UC + all benefits.
* Cancel cut to UC for young Disabled in Education
* Increase benefits in line with cost of living increase
* Keep pensions linked to cost of living increase
* Restore Free TV licences.
* Give security of tenure to renters + rent controls
Can be signed on their website. Solidarity!