Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Boris Johnson
Keir Starmer’s possible resignation could result in another Tory majority (Picture: PA/AP)

Tories are considering a snap election if Sir Keir Starmer quits as Labour leader over his so-called ‘Beergate’ episode, a report claims.

Sir Keir has been under pressure from senior Conservative MPs over allegations he broke Covid-19 rules in Durham last April, when he was filmed having a drink and a curry with colleagues.

Wanting to show he is ‘different’ from Boris Johnson and that ‘politicians are not all the same’, he pledged to resign if he is fined by police.

While the Labour leader awaits the outcome of Durham Constabulary’ probe, the Conservative Party are allegedly hatching a plan on how to exploit the result and a potential leadership battle in the opposition.

A source from the Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) told the Times they were ‘war-gaming’ this as it could be the best chance they would have of securing a majority under Boris.

‘Labour would have spent three months tearing chunks out of themselves, and each candidate would inevitably have to lurch to the left to win the vote,’ they said.

Video grab of Keir Starmer drinking a beer after campaigning in Durham April 2021
A video grab of Keir Starmer drinking a beer after campaigning in Durham in April 2021
Labour leader Keir Starmer and Deputy Leader Angela Rayner
The Labour leader and his deputy leader both deny breaking the law (Picture: PA)

Deputy leader Angela Rayner, who was also at the event, made a similar pledge to quit if fined but both her and Sir Keir deny breaking restrictions at the time.

Labour has insisted the gathering was a legitimate work meeting and within what was permitted under the law at the time.

Speculation about an upcoming snap election come just a week after a major by-election defeat for the Tories in Tiverton and Honiton, Devon, where the Lib Dems overturned their huge majority.

Taking this loss into account, some senior Tory MPs have warned it would be absurd to call a snap election.

An official party spokesperson also told the newspaper there was ‘absolutely no truth’ to the suggestion that they would call for a vote the day after a potential Labour leadership contest.

But another source familiar with the election contingency planning said: ‘Given the latest revelations… this been retrospectively fined, this is being taken very seriously at the highest level.

‘If Labour ends up in a leadership election, that could change the electoral dynamic and the party’s planning at the highest level.

‘There are discussions about all eventualities. They’ve got to have contingencies in all eventualities and this went up the agenda in the light of the revelations that Durham have handed out retrospective fines.’

Talk of such a plan comes just a week after it was reported that Sir Keir has instructed potential successors to prepare for a leadership contest.

He is said to have told friends he does not want hard-won gains to be ‘squandered’.

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