The Tories are demanding a police inquiry into whether lockdown rules were breached (Image: Getty)
The Prime Minister faces further questions over whether lockdown rules were broken after Downing Street revealed a meeting with a voice coach was also attended by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
are demanding a police inquiry into whether lockdown rules were breached.
Dramatist Leonie Mellinger was a “core part of a small team” helping the Labour leader prepare for statements during the pandemic, Sir Keir’ Starmer’s press secretary said.
And Ms Reeves was also part of the core team present at a meeting in December.
Sir Keir asked Ms Mellinger to help him prepare his response to ’s deal in December 2020, while London was under “Tier 4” lockdown restrictions’.
The actress visited Labour’s headquarters to advise Sir Keir, and said she had “permission to travel as a key worker”, it was reported over the weekend. It emerged today that Ms Reeves was also at the meeting.
Sir Keir’s press secretary also said the Prime Minister believed it was not reasonably possible for her to have done the job she was carrying out from home, which is why they met face to face.
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves attended voice coach sessions in lockdown (Image: Getty)
A spokesman for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “The key question here is: is a voice coach a key worker who can travel from Tier 4 to Tier 3 during lockdown?
“It doesn’t matter if you’re part of a core team, that is the question. Now, said that lawmakers can’t be lawbreakers. It is almost unimaginable to disagree that that was a clear breach of the rules.”
Asked if Mrs Badenoch thought police should investigate, he said: “Yes, she does.”
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Sir Keir hit out at the again when he was challenged in Parliament, saying “I was working” while the were “partying”.
Gagan Mohindra, Conservative MP for South West Hertfordshire, told the Commons: “I know that like everyone in the House, the Prime Minister is an honourable member.
“On that basis, can he repeat his assurances that all rules were followed while the country was in tier 4 lockdown in December 2020, not just by him but his team as well, but also his voice coach Leonie Mellinger?”
The Prime Minister replied: “In December 2020, I was in my office working on the expected deal. With my team we had to analyse the deal as it came in at speed, prepare and deliver a live statement at speed on one of the most important issues for our country in recent years.
“That’s what I was doing. What were they doing?
“Suitcases of food into Downing Street, partying and fighting, vomiting up the walls, leaving the cleaner to remove red wine stains. That’s the difference – I was working, they were partying.”