Keir Starmer statement today: Will he resign? 3 things he could say

Mr Starmer is to make the televised statement at 4 pm and will likely address beergate, the Durham Police investigation and his future as Labour Leader if fined.

The Labour leader was said to be in talks on Monday about whether to announce the pledge, after pulling out of a scheduled event where he would have faced fresh questions.

Sir Keir was facing pressure to set out his position after he called for the resignation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak after they were fined for a Covid breach.

Covid symptoms to look out for

Durham Police are currently investigating whether the Labour leader broke the lockdown rules in Durham last year when he had a curry and a beer with Labour works at the end of a day campaigning.

Keir Starmer is likely to make a pre-emptive announcement, before the conclusion of the police investigation, on his future as Labour Leader if fined.

This announcement would enable him to continue calling for Mr Johnson to leave Downing Street while under investigation himself.

Did Keir Starmer break lockdown rules?

Labour has said that the food was consumed between work events, meaning it was within the rules despite the ban on indoor socialising.

Sir Keir, a former director of public prosecutions, told reporters on Saturday: “As I have explained a number of times, I was working in the office, we stopped for something to eat.

“There was no party, no breach of rules, I am confident of that.”

He said he would not resign and would lead Labour into the next general election.

But the Labour leader was facing calls to answer fresh questions after a leaked memo suggested the takeaway was planned, with no further work apparently scheduled after dinner.

Keir Starmer. Credit: PA

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said he did not know why Sir Keir cancelled his appearance at the scheduled event but insisted he was not avoiding scrutiny.

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’s such a trivial issue.

“The idea that Keir has been dodging questions… I mean he’s been out all weekend, even after a local election campaign where we did very well, he’s been out thanking Labour teams, particularly in the places that we did particularly well in these elections.”

Mr Streeting added that Sir Keir has faced journalists “wherever he’s been”, including as recently as Saturday, adding: “The idea that Keir is somehow ducking scrutiny is simply not true.”

Conservative universities minister Michelle Donelan accused Sir Keir of hypocrisy, having pressured Boris Johnson over Downing Street lockdown breaches, for which the Prime Minister was fined by police.

Some 46% of people believe Sir Keir should resign if he is fined by police, according to a YouGov survey of 1,674 adults over the weekend.

That includes 48% of those who voted Labour at the last election, which is higher than those who voted Tory, at 40%.

With the police investigation continuing, 54% responded that Sir Keir either probably or definitely broke the rules.