Sir Keir Starmer’s lockdown voice coach was not a “key worker”, while speech therapists were not exempt from Covid “Stay at Home” rules, it has emerged.
Leonie Mellinger, said to be a long-time friend of Starmer, had visited Labour HQ on December 24, 2020, because it was “necessary” for her to be there in person – despite also sharing images of her coaching work being done over videocall around the same time.
Mellinger told Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire – the authors of a new book about Starmer’s road to No10 – that she had “permission to travel as a key worker”.
But Labour sources have said the issue of her key worker status was not relevant, and have insisted that Mellinger could not have worked with the Labour leader from home.
The news of her Christmas meeting with Starmer has prompted utter fury from Conservatives – in part due to Starmer’s own scathing attacks on “partygate” at the time.
Richard Holden, the Tory MP who wrote to the PM demanding answers earlier this week, said: “It is beyond time for Sir Keir Starmer to come clean and clarify why it was so essential to have a speech and acting coach cross tiers to be with him on Christmas Eve when London was in lockdown.
“Anything short of total transparency would be him admitting that he holds others to a higher standard than that to which he believes he should be held himself.
“Starmer’s Government of ‘openness’ and ‘transparency’ is rapidly proving to be one of cover-up and hypocrisy. Only he can change that by telling the truth.”
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Labour to confirm ‘election cancellations’ TODAY after Reform UK’s ‘threat to democracy’ warnings
Labour is set to confirm which local authorities will have their elections delayed in the Commons today amid a series of “threat to democracy” warnings from Reform UK.
The Government will be pressing ahead with plans to merge district and county councils – but Nigel Farage’s party has long decried the move on the grounds that Tory councils under threat from Reform will choose to postpone potential electoral defeats.
“Labour and the Tories are so terrified of Reform’s rise that they are colluding to rob the British people of their democratic rights,” the party has warned.
Some 21 county councils were due to hold elections in May, but of those, 16 have asked to delay them for “major restructuring”.
Rayner’s Islamophobia council slapped down AGAIN in further blowback for Deputy PM – ‘Look into the real issues!’
Angela Rayner’s controversial Islamophobia council plans have been met with further fury today
GETTY
Angela Rayner’s controversial Islamophobia council plans have been met with further fury today in the latest blowback for the Deputy Prime Minister.
Khalid Mahmood, a Muslim former Labour MP who sat in the Commons for two decades, has warned that the council will be set up “simply to wave it through” – and has told the Government to “look into the real issues that British Muslims face instead”.
“I don’t agree with the 2018 APPG definition of Islamophobia and with Dominic Grieve as chair, this council seems to be set up simply to wave it through,” Mahmood said.
“If the Government really wants to tackle discrimination, the council must look into the real issues that British Muslims face instead of just blindly accepting the 2018 APPG report.”
While anti-Islamophobia campaigner Fiyaz Mughal called the council – plans for which were revealed by The Telegraph on Tuesday – “classic Labour interventionism”.
“This is classic Labour interventionism – and if the Government does this, then why are they not finding a definition for anti-Sikh hate or Sikhophobia, which I know is of real concern to the British Sikh community.
“Is this a pick and mix approach, or does that community not matter to Labour politically?”
Yesterday, Robert Jenrick had warned that the group would pave the way for “blasphemy laws” – which Rayner’s Communities Ministry has slapped down.
A spokesman said: “No blasphemy laws will be introduced by this Government.
“We are firmly committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division, including the unacceptable rise in anti-Muslim hatred. We will provide further updates on this in due course.”
‘International law activist’ Hermer called Trump a ‘brazen liar’ – as Chagos showdown looms with US
Lord Hermer said Trump is ‘perhaps the most brazen liar that one has ever kind of come across in a political position’
PA
Attorney General Lord Hermer – representing the UK in the Chagos surrender – called Donald Trump the “most brazen liar” in political history, according to a Telegraph report this morning.
Speaking on a podcast, Hermer said politicians had “always lied” – but the President’s lying was “on a different scale”.
“He’s also perhaps the most brazen liar that one has ever kind of come across in a political position,” the AG said.
“And he’s obviously done it throughout his time in the administration from day one when he was talking about the crowds at the inauguration. And it certainly for me, I find it challenging.”
Last week Downing Street was forced to put out a statement claiming the Prime Minister had “absolute confidence” in Lord Hermer after a selection of Ministers warned his “activist” preference for international law was “freezing” proper government.
And in light of his position on Chagos – just as strategic for the US as it is for the UK – Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “At such a key moment for the UK-US relationship, Lord Hermer has jeopardised it with outrageous comments.
“When is Starmer going to stop defending his mate and donor and put the national interest first?
“This podcast reveals Hermer for what he really is: a politician using the law to advance his far-left political obsessions.”
READ THE FULL STORY ON BRITAIN’S BALLOONING CHAGOS BILL HERE
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