Keir Starmer's 'Beergate' event was planned in advance, a leaked memo has shown.
The Labour leader was pictured having a beer and curry at a campaign event but has said he is "confident" that he did not breach lockdown rules.
However, a leaked memo published by the Mail on Sunday indicated that the dinner in Durham had been planned on the schedule for Sir Keir's day of campaigning in April 2021. The document stated that there would be a "dinner in Miners Hall" with City of Durham MP Mary Foy from 8.40pm to 10pm - and a note indicated a member of staff in Sir Keir's office was to arrange the takeaway curry from the Spice Lounge.Sir Keir previously claimed he "paused for food" and continued working after the meal, saying "the idea that nobody works at 10 o'clock at night is absurd".
A spokesman for the Leader of the Opposition's office said: "Keir was working, a takeaway was made available in the kitchen, and he ate between work demands. No rules were broken." Timings for events frequently slip during a campaign and on the day of the curry the takeaway was late, a source said.
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