BRITAIN'S opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer will offer to resign if he is found by police to have broken Covid rules at a gathering last year, Sky News reported on Monday (9) without citing sources.
The 59-year-old, who previously served as the country's top prosecutor, has led calls for prime minister Boris Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak to resign after they both received fines relating to a birthday party celebration thrown for Johnson by staff in his Downing Street office in June 2020.
Starmer was then dealt a blow last week when British police said they would investigate him over a potential breach of Covid-19 lockdown rules in 2021 after receiving significant new information.
Footage from April 2021 shows him drinking a bottle of beer with colleagues indoors during a visit to the northeast of England. He has previously denied any rules were broken at what he has called a meal during a work event.
Shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy defended Starmer, saying he “does not break the rules”.
Covid rules at the time banned people from gathering indoors with others from outside their household, although there was an exception where gatherings were reasonably necessary for work purposes.
Starmer to ‘offer to resign if fined for Covid rule breach’
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)