Labour leader Keir Starmer repeatedly refused to answer if police have been touch with him over claims he drank beer at a gathering during lockdown. The so-called "beergate" pictures emerged a number of months ago.
Mr Starmer said then he was having a beer during a work meeting. He said it did not break rules and he had stopped for a "break" and food before resuming work at Durham Miners Hall.
Asked on Radio 4 on Tuesday morning, May 3, whether police have now been in touch with him in relation to the allegations, he failed to answer. He was pushed repeatedly but still did not answer.
Read more: Sex offender hid two children in his wardrobe
Martha Kearney: "Throughout this one of this is about and it's a long running issue about whether you broke the rules or during lockdown. And I just wondered if you could clear up something for us was, Has there been any contact with you or your office from Durham Police, since Conservative MPs call for inquiries to be reopened?"
Starmer: "We were working in the office. It was just before elections, we were busy. We paused for food, no party, no rules were broken. That is the long and the short of it. All that's happened in the last week is that with local elections on the horizon, Conservative MPs have decided to chuck mud."
Martha Kearney: "Shed some light on it, you're someone who is known for his questioning of Boris Johnson in the House of Commons about these kinds of issues. And I note you haven't answered my question, which is about contact from Durham Police. Have there been any contact with you or the office in recent weeks?"
Starmer: "Police looked at this months ago, and it came to a clear conclusion that was no rules were broken. And that's because no rules were broken. Not quite.
Martha Kearney: "That's not quite what I asked. I asked if they've been back in touch since since the local MP has been raising questions about it?"
Starmer: "Well, look, they've already concluded their investigation. No rules were broken. And this is simply being whipped up as mudslinging by the Tories. "
Martha Kearney: "You must remember if the police had rung up your office.
"If the Conservative Party put as much effort into answering the question how you're going to help people their energy bills, as they're putting into this mudslinging they'd actually do a service for millions of people who are really worried about their energy bills."
Martha Kearney: "But by not answering questions like mine, aren't you adding to the clouds of doubt around this?"
Starmer: "We were working. We stopped for food. Nap party, no rules were broken. I don't know what I can add to that."
Martha Kearney: "And you went back to work after did you? After the beer after?"
Starmer: "Yes. The idea that nobody works at 10 o'clock at night is absurd."
Scott Benton, Tory MP for Blackpool South, said: "Labour must provide proof that Keir returned to work after his beers at 10pm if they expect people to believe this claim. Why would they not provide evidence for this claim if it is true?"
It has now emerged that deputy leader Angela Rayner was present at the event, despite denials from Labour she had been. Appearing on Sky News over the weekend, Sir Keir said: "It is a genuine mistake and I take responsibility for it."
Calls have been made by the Conservatives for Durham Constabulary to investigate whether Sir Keir was in breach of Covid regulations. In February the force decided not to launch a formal probe after reviewing a video of the event and deciding it did not believe an offence had been "established" but Richard Holden, Conservative MP for North West Durham, wrote to the force a week ago asking them to reconsider in light of Scotland Yard’s decision to fine the Prime Minister over a breach in Downing Street. He has now sent a further letter asking officers to look into Sir Keir’s "implausible" account.
