What has Sir Keir Starmer said about the PM's Covid rule-breaking?

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of hypocrisy after saying he would not resign, despite being the target of a police investigation into potential Covid rule-breaking.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said the Labour leader was guilty of "rank double standards" because he had previously called for Boris Johnson to step down over breaking lockdown rules.

On Friday, Durham police announced they would investigate an event held in April 2021 at the office of a Durham MP, where the Labour leader was filmed having a beer.

Asked about the event, Sir Keir told reporters: "I was working in the office. We stopped for something to eat. There was no party".

"There was no party, no breach of rules, I am confident of that."

• Keir Starmer's Durham drink - what were the rules?

• The Covid rules when Downing Street parties were held

• A timeline of the lockdown parties

Labour frontbenchers have rejected calls for Sir Keir to resign, with shadow levelling-up minister Lisa Nandy saying it was a work event during which food and drink was consumed and not comparable to the PM's "serial partying" and "lying".

Here is a timeline of what the Labour leader and his deputy, Angela Rayner - who was also at the event in Durham - have said on the subject, including calls for the prime minister's resignation.

8 December 2021

After a video came to light showing Downing Street staff joking about lockdown parties, Mr Johnson said he was asking the cabinet secretary - the top civil servant - Simon Case to "investigate exactly what happened" adding there would be "consequences for those involved if the rules were broken".

Mr Case was later replaced by Sue Gray (another senior civil servant) as it became clear one of the events under investigation took place in Mr Case's office.

Sir Keir accused the prime minister of "taking the public for fools" and questioned if he had "the moral authority to lead".

12 January 2022

In mid-January, an email emerged in which the prime minister's principal private secretary invited about 100 people for "socially distanced drinks" on 20 May 2020 in the No 10 garden.

Witnesses told the BBC that both the prime minister and his wife were among the 30 people who attended.

Following the revelations, Boris Johnson apologised for attending the drinks party but added he believed it was a work event, which "could be said to technically fall within the guidance".

Sir Keir responded by accusing the prime minister of "months of deceit" over lockdown parties in Downing Street and asked if he would "do the decent thing and resign".

He later said the prime minister had offered "a series of ridiculous denials, which he knows are untrue" and argued this was a "clear breach" of the ministerial code, which says ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament are expected to offer their resignation.

He also tweeted: "The party is over Boris Johnson. Resign."

14 January 2022

The Labour leader again called on Mr Johnson to resign after No 10 apologised to the Queen for two parties held in Downing Street the night before Prince Philip's funeral.

Boris Johnson was not at either party but his spokesman said the events were "deeply regrettable".

In response, Sir Keir tweeted: "This shows just how seriously Boris Johnson has degraded the office of prime minister.

"An apology isn't the only thing the prime minister should be offering the palace today. Boris Johnson should resign."

25 January 2022

On 25 January, the Metropolitan Police announced it would be investigating Covid rule-breaking at Downing Street parties.

Then-Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said it would "not normally be a proportionate use of time" for the force to investigate rule breaches as far back as two years, but police would look at allegations that "appeared to be the most serious and flagrant breach" of regulations.

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said: "With Boris Johnson's Downing Street now under police investigation, how on earth can he think he can stay on as prime minister?

"Boris Johnson is a national distraction. Conservative MPs should stop propping him up and he should finally do the decent thing and resign."

31 January 2022

Echoing his deputy's comments a few days later, Sir Keir tweeted: "Honesty and decency matter. After months of denials the prime minister is now under criminal investigations for breaking his own lockdown laws.

"He needs to do the decent thing and resign."

12 April 2022

Following the news that the PM and his chancellor had been fined for breaking Covid rules, Sir Keir said: "Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public. They must both resign."