By Sophie Corcoran.
There have to be serious questions asked over Keir Starmer’s ability to dodge any consequence over Beergate. How is it one rule for one and one rule for another? asks Political commentator Sophie Corcoran.
Yesterday, MPs overwhelmingly voted to accept the privileges committee report 345-7 – with a large proportion of conservative MPs abstaining from the vote.
This clearly shows that the house accepts the findings of the privileges committee and the ludicrous logic and processes that they used.
The Privileges Committee claim that Boris ‘must’ve known’ that his events were breaking the rules as if they could somehow climb inside his brain and prove it, therefore suggesting that he knowingly misled the house by saying that they were not.
The Privileges Committee claim that Boris ‘must’ve known’ that his events were breaking the rules as if they could somehow climb inside his brain and prove it.
The same logic, of course, must then apply to Rishi Sunak, who was also present most of the time at Number 10 and was also given an FPN at the same allegedly rule-breaking cake event where the poor man simply drank some water.
Rishi claimed at the time that there was no rule breaking activity taking place – did he mislead the house too? Or was he telling the truth? And if he was telling the truth, which in my opinion is more likely, why wasn’t Boris?
How was Rishi not supposed to know, but Boris supposed to? If the privileges committee was fair and it wasn’t a political witch hunt as they claim – surely the findings of the privileges committee must be consistent to all members.
If the privileges committee was fair and it wasn’t a political witch hunt as they claim – surely the findings of the privileges committee must be consistent to all members.
Additionally, if the privileges committee set on record that all work gatherings must be illegal, including thank yous, farewells etc. something that is not only staggering but has no legal basis whatsoever.
Regardless, if the privileges committee believes this to be the case with Boris’ judgement, and was logic widely accepted by the house, then surely that must apply to Keir Starmer.
Now, I’m sure that nobody is actually fool enough to believe that 30 people gathering with takeaway and beers on a Friday night in Durham was a ‘work event.’ But nevertheless, even if we do accept his lame and somewhat unbelievable excuse, according to the privileges committee, if they were to treat Keir Starmer with the same logic as they did Boris Johnson, then technically shouldn’t Keir Starmer be dragged in front of the privileges committee too? Because judging by their logic, he also misled the house. Unless of course Labour believe in one rule for one and one rule for another.
I’m sure that nobody is actually fool enough to believe that 30 people gathering with takeaway and beers on a Friday night in Durham was a ‘work event.’
There have to be serious questions asked over Keir Starmer’s ability to dodge any consequence over Beergate.
How Boris can stop for five mins for a cake break at work during a work day, in his office, which is also effectively his home and be given an FPN yet Keir Starmer can have curry and beers with 30 people in Durham and get off clean – is extraordinary.
Sophie Corcoran is a broadcaster, journalist, political candidate and reality TV personality. Sophie is NDA’s ‘celebrity of the year’ 2023 nominee. To follow Sophie on Twitter click here.
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20 June 2023
Well said Sophie. This “show trial” is an absolute insult to the intelligence of the British electorate, if the committee think we’ll swallow it. It’s demeaning to expect the public to think that they can target one victim and not all the rest, carefully blurred out in the photo (which, incidentally looked like a working lunch to me with just a jug of orange juice and some M & S sandwiches on the table). Starmer’s party pics looked a lot more frivolous – what happened to his trial? Is he above the law or do remainers get let off the hook? Only those who WANT Boris to be a liar will brand him a liar. As for the rest of us, as far as we’re concerned, he’s never lied to us.
Couldn’t agree with you more Sophie. It’s still a mystery to me how Keir Starmer managed to get off. Something very dodgy must have gone on
Kier Srarmer was seen at a party drinking beer.It wasn’t a work thing with £200 of food ordered from a local take away at 22:00 hrs. Bit late to be a work thing I think.
And not just Keir Starmer too. There’s also the Sitting Tenant of the Commons causing Mayhem, apparently (see Jeff Taylor’s Youtube 27 June “They were all at it!”). Boris, according to Jeff, was attending that one on Zoom. About time they called off their dogs (those without sin may cast the first stone).