Secondary care minister Karin Smyth was asked on GB News this morning why Starmer met in person with his actress voice coach while London was subject to Tier 4 restrictions, as part of which those workers whose job was not directly related to in-person delivery of the Covid-19 response were instructed to work from home. Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire were told that Starmer “designated” Leonie Mellinger as a key worker so she could come to Labour HQ on Christmas Eve 2020. That’s not how the rules worked…
Smyth said it’s “more mudslinging by the Tories… Keir was working, working was allowed in Tier Four in London at that time.” Not the relevant question – Ellie Costello pushed on why a voice coach was counted as a key worker:
“So my understanding is working and Keir was working at that time preparing for interviews um and so on uh in and the run up to uh, I believe it’s 2020 wasn’t it, so the run up to those Brexit discussions and leaving and interviews for that and that was a working event at the time when we know that what the Tories were doing partying that’s well documented.”
Barely coherent and a claim it was a “working event.” Again irrelevant…
Smyth refused to repeat Starmer’s pledge from Beergate that he would resign if he was found to have broken rules – she didn’t say he wouldn’t resign either:
“Well I think this is all hypothetical and speculation. It’s the same MP that started that last investigation that is starting this one. We want to get on with changing the country… Keir is focused on the future – getting us treated, getting us through those waiting lists faster – and those are the those are the things that are really occupying us at this time.”
Interesting use of “investigation” there. Starmer furiously denied rules were broken yesterday at his Nato press conference as Guido revealed details of Mellinger’s links to Starmer. Labour’s attempts to stonewall on this have so far not worked…
Sarah Pochin at Reform Scotland’s manifesto launch event: “I really wanted to come on in a Reform tartan burka, but apparently I wasn’t allowed… One day let’s do one of these events not live-streamed. We’ll do all the naughty stuff…”