The Beergate investigation, into allegations that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer broke Covid rules, cost a police force more than £100,000 - and used nine major crime detectives. Durham Constabulary's probe involved 3,200 hours of work using detectives usually employed on murder and sex assault cases, it has been reported by National World.
The Labour leader had been captured with a beer and Indian takeaway in Durham on April 30, 2021, whilst on the campaign trail for a forthcoming Hartlepool by-election. Starmer's team insisted he and other attendees - including deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner - had stopped to eat while working, and that Covid rules had never been broken.
All were eventually cleared of any wrongdoing in July 2022 following an investigation by Durham Constabulary. The force had reopened the case in May 2022 after coming under significant political pressure.
A freedom of information request was submitted to Durham Constabulary asking how much the subsequent investigation had cost, how many officers had been involved and what their usual roles were, and how much time it had taken.
It was found one detective superintendent, one detective inspector, one detective sergeant and six detective constables, alongside two other members of police staff from the force’s major crime team were involved in the investigation.
The Labour leader had previously said he “hated” being subject to a criminal investigation and that waiting to hear whether he would be exonerated was a “burden every day”.
A further Freedom of Information request was put to Durham Constabulary regarding its investigation into former Downing Street aide Dominic Cummings, who drove his family from London to Barnard Castle and back again between March and April 2020 despite strict lockdown measures.
The force responded it did not have an estimate of the cost or hours spent on this investigation. But it did reveal one detective chief superintendent worked on the investigation alongside four further detectives (who assisted the senior investigating officer whilst continuing to perform other detective duties) and a member of police staff.
It claimed the Beergate probe involved multiple suspects requiring a higher number of officers to work on the case. Labour has been approached for comment.
