Is Starmer seriously going to resign???

[Swayingpalmtrees]

I have been waiting for a thread to come up about this, but I can't see one to date. I can't believe Keir Starmer has now said he will resign (and Angela Rayner as well) Potentially leaving the Labour party with no leader at all!

Looking at the 'evidence' that is well known and has been published, it appears the Indian takeaway was pre ordered (due to its size) and pre planned according to the staff at the Indian and the leaked memo, it did include quite a number of people and bottles of beer etc and drinking. It was late into the night, so not work related, and no one is suggesting anyone continued to work afterwards as it was so late. I don't see how this is any different to the No10 arrangements! So how on earth will they avoid a fine??

Sir Keir's speech was so wobbly I actually thought he was resigning there and then, and although I appreciate the sentiments of integrity and honour, where on earth does that leave the LP with under two years to the election or less?

Who would replace him? Do we have any thoughts on a plan of any kind?

I am kind of aghast, we are in the middle of a European war, on the cusp of potentially WW3, I am not sure this is a responsible action given the seriousness of our predicament with Russia whom are threatening us on a weekly basis with nuclear war. At the very very least, we need a firm hand on the tiller, so to speak, we do not have time to be squabbling over beer and cheese.
AIBU?

Potentially leaving the Labour party with no leader at all!

The party won't be left without a leader. There will be another leadership contest to elect both leader and deputy.

I'm sure the proverbial salt of the earth miners in their flat caps can tell the difference between a working dinner and full-on party.

Youre being a little naive if you think everyone will be accepting of beer and an Indian takeaway as a working dinner.

I’m not worried about him going. He won’t have to. I’m not worried about his replacement. I mean even Corbyn would be able to to a better job than Johnson, and he’s a complete and utter nutter.

In Durham 10gbp per head is generous! You can see the menu for yourself. By your own calculations there were at least twenty present.

I am constantly amazed at the price differences in areas north of London, but that is a great deal of money for an Indian for six people, perhaps its Michelin starred!

As an aside, I am not too concerned if he does go. Unlike the Conservative party, I think there are good, competent people in high levels who could make strong leaders. Johnson has expertly led a government of such ineptitude to ensure that any question of him resigning is followed by the question of “but who could possible replace him?”.

"I think Starmer would have been wise to wait until the second police investigation has been concluded before making a decision and a statement."

You sound like the Daily Mail - their writers are currently furious that Starmer's called their bluff with the resignation pledge. "How dare he put pressure on the police, etc etc."

That's just bizarre. Why does work that needs to be done late suddenly stop during a pandemic? My DB, for instance, works in an environment where he regularly has to deal with people in different time zones and was regularly working late. He and his colleagues were certainly permitted to eat together whilst doing so. The rules allowed for gatherings for work purposes precisely to meet that type of eventuality.

Furthermore, the rules specifically provided an exemption for gatherings that were "reasonably necessary for the purposes of campaigning in an election". How are the police going to make out a case for saying they know more about what was reasonably necessary for election campaign purposes than the people actually doing the campaigning?

OP we are not in a middle of a European war…

Ha! @Swayingpalmtrees you can't hide your political leanings. £200 for a takeaway for 15 people (note that the good old Daily Mail have reduced the number of people supposedly there) is a good deal. Can easily spend £40 between two here.

Labour seem pretty confident that they did nothing wrong so I'll guess we will see.

The tories already looking like the shysters they are with Kit Malthouse suggesting that it was for Kier Starmer to set his own standards whereas apparently Johnson will set his own i.e. none. And moron Andrew Bridgen thinking that the Met should investigate ffs. He didn't shout that when Durham didn't find any wrong doing with Cummings driving up north for childcare with covid. The Tory party are a joke. An unprincipled corrupt joke of a party.

A few emails fired off at 1am won't cut it.

Why not? Can you link to the law you are relying on here please? Remember, the police will be making their decision based on the law that was in place at the time. Not "fairness", "optics" or weird public perception.

You seem very sure of the "facts" you are spouting yet unwilling to back them up.

I've worked in many different industries where a late meal is provided if working past a certain time, and I've often pre-ordered them for the team before I leave for the day, but NEVER have I ordered alcohol for such a meal - that would be a no-no, I mean you are meant to still be working and alcohol even in small quantities can affect judgement (another reason why there should be no bars in the Houses).

BUT
It's report to be have been £200 for the order, with up to 30 people there...so that's £6.66 per person. That's not going to get you a bhuna let alone a beer, so things aren't adding up!

No we're not at all.

I wouldn't. I used to work in a place where they kept available a stock of beer and wine, mostly for entertaining clients, but quite regularly they would offer it round by way of a celebration or just because, say, it was a hot Friday afternoon.

I'm really amazed that anyone seriously believes no-one works at 10 p.m. Coming up to an election, everyone does whatever it takes, including working all night if necessary.

I, like many others, think an Indian dinner complete with beers at 10pm is a party, a dinner party! It is horseshit to say otherwise.

You can bleat that he deserves food at the end of his 'shift' that is what room service is for! He deserves a beer - even though it is illegal in most places of work - fine that is what a mini bar is for! They all needed a break - fine - the hotel was five minutes away.

There was no need to host an Indian dinner party with beer at all.

That is what it boils down to.....

"Youre being a little naive if you think everyone will be accepting of beer and an Indian takeaway as a working dinner."

Well, altogether now, polling shows this story hasn't had any impact on Starmer's populairty whatsoever. So I'm ok in that assumption for now.

can tell the difference between a working dinner and full-on party

But you are comparing apples and pears. Johnson has been fined for a midday piece of cake. That was not, in my humber opinion, a full-on party. The Met have found otherwise, OK, in which case, Durham police should follow the same protocol. If not, why not.

The breathless and confident plugging of a certain narrative which is appearing on various threads by a variety of posters is interesting here.

I wonder what will happen if the police DO attempt a whitewash

It is clear the OP knows nothing about employment law and practices or indeed the covid regulations that were in place at the time.

£10 a head is not generous for Durham. Do you even know Durham!?

Have you even looked at the menu? Let's see... I'm going to have:

• samosa starter, £4.95
• chicken tikka masala, £10.50
• plain pilau rice, £3.75
• a garlic naan, £3.25

• Total spend, £22.45

Now I'm no mathematician, but is that more than a tenner?

Easy there boris-bot, you'e making it a bit too obvious. 😬

The biggest losers here are not going to be Starmer or Johnson, if they are not very very careful it will be the police.

Their reputation is already taking a huge hit with the rape charges, and murder. If they are also seen to be delivering justice in a politically motivated way then we can rightly assume that they are not fit for purpose.

The stakes could not be higher.

They tried to bury the first investigation, and now this one has much more media attention despite the BBC doing their level best to ignore and minimise it.

I am a swing voter for the record. I vote for the best option for the country and could not care less about political colours. I will not stand for hypocrisy.

Well, altogether now, polling shows this story hasn't had any impact on Starmer's populairty whatsoever. So I'm ok in that assumption for now.

My point is more that he's harmed his stock with those he needed to win over. Though that may be irrelevant in that he was never going to achieve that in the first place.

I will not stand for hypocrisy

Where do you stand on irony?

Can you link to the law that makes it illegal in most work places to drink beer?

Indian and a drink isn't a party. You have a very boring life if you think that. It's just a fucking meal. And looking at the cost, not a very extravagant one either.

Out of interest, would you feel the same if it was Chinese? Or pizza?