Keir Starmer’s having a voice coach during lockdown is ‘arguably legal’, says lawyer at firm which was co-founded by PM_Nhy
A leading barrister and expert in Covid legislation yesterday said it was ‘arguable’ that Sir Keir Starmer would want a voice coach in person during lockdown.
Adam Wagner, who works at Doughty Street Chambers, which Sir Keir co-founded said the ‘important question’ was whether the ‘in-person voice coaching visit was “reasonably necessary… for the purposes of work”’.
On Christmas Eve 2020, while London was under ‘Tier 4 restrictions’, the then-leader of the opposition sought the help of Leonie Mellinger to respond to Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal.
The actress and communications skills coach visited Labour’s headquarters to advise Sir Keir, and said she had ‘permission to travel as a key worker’, it emerged at the weekend.
At the time, London was under stringent ‘Stay At Home’ rules following a rapid rise in infections attributed to a new variant of the virus.
A leading barrister and expert in Covid legislation yesterday said it was ‘arguable’ that Sir Keir Starmer (pictured in February 2021) would want a voice coach in person during lockdown
On Christmas Eve 2020, while London was under ‘Tier 4 restrictions’, the then-leader of the opposition sought the help of Leonie Mellinger, pictured, to respond to Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal
The rules stated that people could travel for work if they ‘cannot work from home’ – though Mellinger states on her website that she is ‘happy to offer coaching sessions via video conferencing’.
In a post on X explaining the law at the time, Mr Wagner said: ‘The only important question is whether the in-person voice coaching visit was “reasonably necessary… for the purposes of work” (to leave home) and that the gathering was “reasonably necessary… for work purposes”.
‘There is no suggestion (as far as I can tell) that the gathering was a social one. That would clearly breach the rules, as with the Downing Street Christmas parties.
‘As a work gathering: it’s certainly arguable that the leader of the opposition would want a voice coach to be in person (perhaps in addition to online sessions).’
However, he said it was now too late for any investigation because it is more than three years since the event – beyond the statutory limit for prosecuting offences.
Sir Keir also faced questions from the Tories last night.
Conservative former cabinet minister Richard Holden, who has written to the Prime Minister saying he has ‘serious questions to answer’, asked who gave the go-ahead to Mellinger’s visit.
Sir Keir (pictured last week) also faced questions from the Tories last night
He tweeted: ‘Clearly Sir Keir Starmer and the senior Labour team wanted his voice and acting coach in person for some reason for his ‘Christmas Eve Special’ – who gave the go-ahead.
‘Also, are they trying to protect someone else who in Labour HQ that day who needlessly had travelled in from a Tier 3?
‘So many questions for a Prime Minister who demanded openness and honesty but is unwilling to be open and honest himself…’
Labour has insisted that the ‘rules were followed’ and when questioned at a Nato press conference the Prime Minister said ‘of course’ he had not breached restrictions.
A party spokeswoman said last night: ‘This is just more desperate mudslinging from the Conservatives who partied their way through lockdown, had two leaders fined for breaking covid laws and are now led by Kemi Badenoch who used her first interview in the job to call partygate “overblown”.
‘This was a televised press conference to respond to the Brexit deal and the rules were followed.’
