The Perfect Enemy | Politics live: EU ‘needs to show flexibility’ over NI Protocol, says minister; Lib Dems say voters ‘fed up with being taken for granted’ - Sky News
July 12, 2025

Politics live: EU ‘needs to show flexibility’ over NI Protocol, says minister; Lib Dems say voters ‘fed up with being taken for granted’ – Sky News

Politics live: EU ‘needs to show flexibility’ over NI Protocol, says minister; Lib Dems say voters ‘fed up with being taken for granted’  Sky News

Politics live: EU ‘needs to show flexibility’ over NI Protocol, says minister; Lib Dems say voters ‘fed up with being taken for granted’ – Sky News
Politics live: EU ‘needs to show flexibility’ over NI Protocol, says minister; Lib Dems say voters ‘fed up with being taken for granted’ – Sky News

Human rights lawyer says he ‘does not think’ Starmer incident was breach of regulations

As the Labour Party continue to face questions about Durham Police’s investigation into allegations Sir Keir Starmer broke lockdown rules last year, human rights barrister Adam Wagner has shared his thoughts on the matter.

Mr Wagner told Sky News the event in Durham last year had been “scheduled” and formed a part of the Labour leader’s visit to the area during his by-election campaigning.

He went on to say he had not seen anything which indicated a breach of the rules at the time.

“I don’t really see how it could be a breach of the regulations,” he said.

“The regulations allowed any gathering that was reasonably necessary for work or voluntary activity and obviously the purpose of that visit overall was for the leader of the opposition to visit the local campaigners and the local MPs. That’s all on the schedule.”

Mr Wagner said he was “doubtful” that Durham Police would disagree that the visit was not “reasonably necessary”.

He added: “People are getting a bit mixed up because the issue with the Downing Street gatherings is that they were pre-arranged social events so the purpose of them was social.

“The only ones being investigated are the ones where it is quite obvious the purpose of the event was social, either a Christmas party, leaving party, or a birthday party.

“Whereas the fact this is pre-planned I think shows the opposite. It shows it was part of the leader of the opposition’s plan when he went to Durham.”

On Friday, Durham Police confirmed that the force would be investigating an incident involving Sir Keir where he was pictured drinking a beer and having a takeaway with party workers during by-election campaigning in April 2021.

The Labour leader has repeatedly argued that no rules were broken last year and that he and staff had stopped to eat a meal and then resumed their work.

“I can see where this is all coming from politically but I still haven’t seen anything which I think is in breach of the regulations,” Mr Wagner added.