Sir Keir Starmer was facing a crisis on two fronts last night as a witness prepared to tell police the Labour leader’s lockdown curry had broken pandemic rules and a leaked document appeared to show the gathering had been planned.
Starmer has claimed the takeaway was ordered spontaneously between meetings.
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A source who was present when the Labour leader was filmed enjoying a late-night beer with activists in Durham claims Starmer did not return to work after eating. They also accused some in attendance, including the local Labour MP Mary Foy and her staff, of not working during the event and being there only to socialise.
According to an operational note drawn up for Starmer’s visit to Durham, obtained by The Mail on Sunday, an
Fixing the Northern Ireland Protocol "cannot be put off", the deputy prime minister has said amid fears that progress on power sharing will remain stalled after last Thursday's elections.
Dominic Raab told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday that stability was being "imperilled" by problems with the protocol, which governs Northern Ireland's post-Brexit trading arrangements.
The deal ensured there would be no return to a hard border with the Republic of Ireland but creates an effective border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
An impasse over efforts to renegotiate the deal has been brought to a head by last Thursday's assembly election results, which saw Sinn Fein become the biggest party for the first time.
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The unionist DUP has said it will not take part in a power sharing devolved government with Sinn Fein unless progress is made on the protocol.
Mr Raab told Sky News that the UK wanted to see "stability" created with a new executive being formed.
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But he said that "stability is being put at risk - imperilled if you like - by the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol, something that affects communities across the board".
He added: "It's clear the Northern Ireland Protocol must be fixed... and that cannot be put off.
"We won't get the executive that the people of Northern Ireland need until it is dealt with."
Image:The protocol governs post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland
The protocol was a deal agreed by Boris Johnson's government but in recent months the PM and other senior ministers have been vocal about wanting to renegotiate it - and have not ruled out Britain acting unilaterally to suspend it.
Mr Raab said: "If it had been implemented with... flexibility and goodwill and with the business interests of communities across Northern Ireland and it hadn't been used frankly as a political device that it has, I don't think we'd have the same level of problems.
"But the point of discussing that has passed. We must see it now fixed. The government is committed to fixing it."
Mr Raab said this would be done "preferably by negotiations".
But he added: "If not we'll have to take the measures to make sure that the economic integrity of the trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of Great Britain and frankly the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom is protected and preserved.
"It's clear now: if anything the outcome in Northern Ireland from those elections makes it clear it cannot be put off."
Pushed on a timeframe for changes to the protocol needing to be implemented - and whether it would be weeks or months, Mr Raab said "no longer than that".
He refused to say whether any such action would be taken in this week's Queen's Speech.
Ireland's Europe minister Thomas Byrne has said "a decisive majority" of the members elected to Northern Ireland's Stormont assembly want to make the protocol work and called on the UK to "engage in a renewed way with the European Union" on the issue.
Mr Raab also appeared to play down prospects of a referendum on unifying Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland - after Sinn Fein called for preparations for such a vote to take place.
He said: "If you look at the results in Northern Ireland, 58% of people fully voted either for parties who support the union or for parties who do not support constitutional change and that is the message from the people of Northern Ireland."
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Former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott says Sir Keir Starmer should consider his position as Labour leader if he is fined for breaking Covid laws.
Durham police are investigating whether rules were broken at an event in the city last year where he was pictured drinking beer in an MP's office.
Labour MP Ms Abbott insisted she didn't think he would be fined, and criticised "hype built up by the Tory press".
Sir Keir said he was confident he had not broken any rules.
Asked whether he would resign if fined, he told reporters on Saturday: "I was working in the office. We stopped for something to eat. There was no party".
He added he would lead Labour into the next general election.
But Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi accused Sir Keir of hypocrisy, given his previous calls for Boris Johnson to resign over lockdown parties in No 10.
Sir Keir was filmed drinking a bottle of beer in the constituency office of Durham MP Mary Foy in April last year, in the run-up to a by-election in nearby Hartlepool.
Under rules in place at the time, it was illegal for people in England to socialise indoors with people from outside their household or support bubble.
But after Thursday's local elections concluded, the force announced it would launch an investigation after receiving "significant new information".
The force had been coming under pressure to revisit the matter after Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were fined for attending a birthday party for the prime minister in Downing Street in June 2020.
Conservative MPs and cabinet minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan had also been calling for the force to launch a formal probe in recent days.
'Leaked memo'
Meanwhile, the Mail on Sunday published what it said was a leaked memo that appeared to show how an hour and twenty minutes were scheduled for "dinner" - after which the Durham visit would conclude.
The planning document, drawn up by Sir Keir's office, said a takeaway order would be placed from a nearby Indian restaurant for a meal between 20:40 and 22:00.
Describing the meal earlier this week, Sir Keir said that "at various points people went through to the kitchen, got a plate, had something to eat, and got on with their work". He has also previously insisted he returned to work afterwards.
A Labour spokesperson said he had had eaten "between work demands" and no rules had been broken.
And a party source added that it would be "wrong to assume" activities during the visit occurred at the times originally planned.
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Last week, Labour said Angela Rayner was also at the event, after previously denying she was there. It blamed a "mistake" in communication.
Questioned about the prospect of Sir Keir being fined on LBC radio, Ms Abbott said: "I don't think he will - I think this is a lot of hype built up by the Tory press.
"But if he were to get a fixed penalty notice, he would have to consider his position," added the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP, who served as shadow home secretary under former leader Jeremy Corbyn.
"I'm a loyal supporter of Keir Starmer. I'm just making the common-sense point that if he gets a fixed penalty notice he should consider his position."
'Hypocrisy'
Sir Keir has called on Mr Johnson to resign since January, when the prime minister became embroiled in accusations Covid rules were broken during gatherings held in Whitehall during lockdown.
Metropolitan Police are continuing their investigation into 12 gatherings held in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office during 2020 and 2021.
Asked what Sir Keir should do if he is fined, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi told Times Radio: "We've got to let the police carry out their investigation and that's only right and responsible.
"I do think, though, that the public will be uncomfortable with the hypocrisy.
"He has tweeted himself saying that if you're under investigation, a criminal investigation, then you should resign."
The Conservatives remain in control of Broxbourne and Welwyn Hatfield, while Labour retained power in Stevenage and the Lib Dems held Three Rivers, Watford and St Albans councils.
Broxbourne has been a Tory stronghold and, with 10 seats up for grabs, the party was defending nine and won nine after Thursday's voting.
There were 13 seats up for grabs in Stevenage and Labour won nine of them.
The party lost seats to the Tories in 2021, but gained two this year.
The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats held two seats each as a third of seats were up for grabs.
All the seats were contested on St Albans City & District Council, and the Conservatives lost 18 seats, leaving them with only four.
The Liberal Democrats now have 50 of the 56 seats, a gain of 20. There is also one independent and one Green councillor.
On Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, where a third of the seats were up for election, Labour gained Hatfield East and Hatfield Villages from the Conservatives, but lost Hatfield South West to the Liberal Democrats.
The Green Party gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats in Dickinsons ward on Three Rivers District Council - while all other seats remained the same.
North Hertfordshire District Council remains in no overall control with Labour winning nine seats, gaining two from the Conservatives, who won four seats, but lost another two to the Liberal Democrats, who won five.
A third of the seats were up for grabs.
The Conservatives remain the largest party with 19 seats, but Labour now have 17 and the Liberal Democrats 13.
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Stevenage Labour council leader, Sharon Taylor, said: "We were hoping we'd hold the seats... but to gain two as well is a great result for us.
"We've had a great campaign here, superbly organised... but also, people are telling us, on the doorstep, they are really fed up with the cost of living crisis and wanted to send a message back to Boris Johnson and the Tories."
Conservative group leader, Phil Bibby, said: "We're certainly disappointed losing a couple of seats but bearing in mind that last year we got up to 11, and the year before we were only seven, and when I started as a councillor we were only about three or four, I still think we've got a decent upward trend to take heart from."
Analysis
By Andy Holmes, BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter
No surprises really in the two Hertfordshire councils that declared overnight.
Broxbourne Council prides itself on being among the first to announce results and is also one of the safest Tory authorities in the country, being held by the party since it was formed in 1973.
They managed to hold on to all nine of the seats they were defending, so still have 26 of the 30 seats on the council.
Labour held on to the other to remain the official opposition, albeit with just three councillors.
Meanwhile, Stevenage has always been Labour-led, but four gains in 2021 might have given Conservatives some hope of threatening that status this year.
In the end though, 2022 saw the town turn an even darker shade of red, with Labour winning nine of the 13 seats, including taking back two wards from the Conservatives.
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In Broxbourne, where a third of the seats were being contested, the Tories could not have lost control even if they had been defeated in each one.
The remaining seat was successfully defended by Labour.
A third of seats were being contested at Watford Borough Council, with the Liberal Democrats winning 10, gaining two from an independent and one from Labour, who retained two seats.
The Lib Dems are the biggest party with 27 seats overall, while Labour have nine.
The Conservatives remain in control of Broxbourne and Welwyn Hatfield, while Labour retain power in Stevenage and the Lib Dems hold Three Rivers, Watford and St Albans councils.
Broxbourne has been a Tory stronghold and, with 10 seats up for grabs, the party was defending nine and won nine in Thursday's voting.
There were 13 seats up for grabs in Stevenage and Labour won nine of them.
The party lost seats to the Tories in 2021, but gained two this year.
The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats held two seats each as a third of seats were up for grabs.
On Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, where a third of the seats were up for election, Labour gained Hatfield East and Hatfield Villages from the Conservatives, but lost Hatfield South West to the Liberal Democrats.
The Green Party gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats in Dickinsons ward on Three Rivers District Council - all other seats remained the same.
North Hertfordshire District Council remains in no overall control with Labour winning nine seats, gaining two from the Conservatives, who won four seats, but lost another two to the Liberal Democrats, who won five.
A third of the seats were up for grabs.
The Conservatives remain the largest party with 19 seats, but Labour now have 17 and the Liberal Democrats 13.
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Stevenage Labour council leader, Sharon Taylor, said: "We were hoping we'd hold the seats... but to gain two as well is a great result for us.
"We've had a great campaign here, superbly organised... but also, people are telling us, on the doorstep, they are really fed up with the cost of living crisis and wanted to send a message back to Boris Johnson and the Tories."
Conservative group leader, Phil Bibby, said: "We're certainly disappointed losing a couple of seats but bearing in mind that last year we got up to 11, and the year before we were only seven, and when I started as a councillor we were only about three or four, I still think we've got a decent upward trend to take heart from."
Analysis: Andy Holmes, BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter
No surprises really in the two Hertfordshire councils that declared overnight.
Broxbourne Council prides itself on being among the first to announce results and is also one of the safest Tory authorities in the country, being held by the party since it was formed in 1973.
They managed to hold on to all nine of the seats they were defending, so still have 26 of the 30 seats on the council.
Labour held on to the other to remain the official opposition, albeit with just three councillors.
Meanwhile, Stevenage has always been Labour-led, but four gains in 2021 might have given Conservatives some hope of threatening that status this year.
In the end though, 2022 saw the town turn an even darker shade of red, with Labour winning nine of the 13 seats, including taking back two wards from the Conservatives.
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In Broxbourne, where a third of the seats were being contested, the Tories could not have lost control even if they had been defeated in each one.
The remaining seat was successfully defended by Labour.
A third of seats were being contested at Watford Borough Council, with the Liberal Democrats winning 10, gaining two from an independent and one from Labour, who retained two seats.
The Lib Dems are the biggest party with 27 seats overall, while Labour have nine.
All the seats were up for grabs at St Albans City and District Council, and although counting is still ongoing, the Liberal Democrats have won enough wards to retain control.
Northern Ireland voters are electing members of the next Stormont Assembly.
All 90 seats in the assembly are up for grabs with five Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) being elected in each of the 18 constituencies.
Votes will be counted at three centres - Titanic Exhibition Centre in Belfast, Ulster University in Jordanstown and Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt.
You can follow all the results as they come in on the BBC News NI website, which will feature a live page, stage by stage results and live streams, as well as on our Twitter page.
Television
BBC One Northern Ireland will air an election special from 12:15 on Friday 6 May to bring you every result, with instant reaction and interviews from party leaders and winning candidates.
Host Mark Carruthers will be joined in the studio by political editor Enda McClafferty and BBC Newsline reporter Sara Girvan, while news correspondent Mark Simpson will have the latest graphics.
Coverage continues on BBC One Northern Ireland from 10:00 on Saturday 7 May and with an hour-long election special on Sunday Politics the following day at 10:15.
William Crawley, Joel Taggart and Catherine Morrison will be live from the three count centres along with political pundits and experts to bring you the very latest information and analysis.
William Crawley and Sarah Brett will continue the coverage from 10:00 on Saturday, with a special hour-long roundup following at 12:00 on Sunday 8 May with Chris Buckler.
On oBBC Radio Foyle, coverage begins at 13:00 presented by Elaine McGee, Richard O'Reilly and David Hunter.
Online
You can follow online rolling coverage on the BBC Northern Ireland special election live page from about 11:00.
Social media
You can follow all the latest results, news and up-to-the-minute analysis from our election teams on Twitter and on Facebook.
Push alerts can also be sent directly to your smartphone by signing up below.
Tracey Connelly, the mother of Baby P, who died after months of abuse, will be released from prison after the Parole Board rejected a government challenge against its ruling.
Connelly was jailed in 2009 over the death of her 17-month-old son, Peter, who suffered more than 50 injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken back.
The case sparked outrage as Baby P received 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.
Responding to the ruling, he said her actions were "pure evil" and the choice made by the board demonstrates why it "needs a fundamental overhaul - including a ministerial check for the most serious offenders".
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The decision means the 40-year-old could be freed from prison within weeks.
However, she will be subject to restrictions on her movements, activities, who she contacts and 20 extra licence conditions.
These include living at a specified address, wearing an electronic tag, following a curfew and having to disclose her relationships.
She has also been told she cannot go to certain places to "avoid contact with victims and to protect children".
Connelly was released on licence in 2013 but was recalled to prison just two years later for breaching her parole conditions.
Image:Floral tributes, photographs and toys were placed at the memorial to Baby P at Islington Crematorium in 2008
In the past seven years, she has been refused parole three times.
Her boyfriend, Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen, were also imprisoned after being convicted in relation to Peter's death.
In March, the Parole Board, which is independent of the government, decided Connelly was fit for release, despite three bids for her to remain behind bars.
The board heard how she is now considered to be at "low risk of committing a further offence" and that probation officers and prison officials support the plan.
On Thursday, a spokesperson said that, following the appeal made by Mr Raab, a judge has ruled the original decision to release Connelly "was not irrational" and had been upheld.
The justice secretary's request was made under the so-called reconsideration mechanism, which allows him, or the prisoner, to challenge the board's decision within 21 days if they believe it to be "procedurally unfair" or "irrational".
