Rachel Reeves has been dragged into the row over Sir Keir Starmer’s meeting with his voice coach while Covid restrictions were in place in late 2020.
Sir Keir furiously hit back at “partying” Tories as he was again pressed on claims he broke lockdown rules during the pandemic.
The row is over whether actor Leonie Mellinger would have been allowed to advise the Labour leader in person during tier 4 lockdown as the country closed for Christmas.
Sir Keir has faced intense pressure on the issue because of the way he pursued former prime minister Boris Johnson over Partygate activities in Downing Street.
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Now it has emerged that Ms Reeves was part of a meeting attended by a “small team” – of which the coach was a “core part”, Downing Street said – that helped Sir Keir prepare for a press statement on Brexit.
Sir Keir's press secretary said the PM believed it was not reasonably possible for Ms Mellinger to have done her job from home, which is why they met face to face, as she accused the Tories of “desperate mud-slinging”.
She also denied that alcohol was drunk during or after the meeting.
Partygate ultimately contributed to Mr Johnson being ousted from No 10, with Sir Keir claiming: “You cannot be a law-breaker and a law-maker.”
The Tories have called for the police to investigate, but on Wednesday they said they would not because too much time had passed.
Tory MP Gagan Mohindra pressed the prime minister on whether he had broken the rules himself at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
He asked: “I know that like everyone in the House the prime minister is an honourable member. On that basis, can he repeat his assurances that all rules were followed while the country was in tier 4 lockdown in December 2020, not just by him but his team as well but also his voice coach Leonie Mellinger?”
The question prompted a furious reaction from the prime minister who pointed out that the allegations made against him were while he was working, whereas the scandal in Mr Johnson’s Downing Street involved parties.
He said: “In December 2020 I was in my office working on the expected Brexit deal. With my team we had to analyse the deal at speed, prepare and deliver a live statement at speed, on one of the most important issues for our country in recent years.”
He went on: “That’s what I was doing, what were they doing? Suitcases of booze in Downing Street, partying and fighting, vomiting up the wall, leaving the cleaner to remove red wine stains.
“That’s the difference. I was working, they were partying.”
After PMQs the police announced they would not investigate.
A Met Police spokesperson said: "We can confirm we have received a report.
"The specific legislation that would be used by police forces dealing with alleged offences during Covid has a three-year deadline for initiating proceedings.
"As this alleged incident falls outside of this timeframe, no action will be taken."
