British Labour leader Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner have not been handed fixed penalty notices for allegedly breaching lockdown regulations on a trip to Durham last year, police have said.
Both had previously promised to step down if they were found to have broken the rules during a visit to the city in April 2021, ahead of the Hartlepool by-election.
Mr Starmer was videoed drinking a bottle of beer over a takeaway curry with colleagues in the offices of Mary Foy MP.
It later emerged Ms Rayner was also at the gathering, dubbed "beergate" by some.
At the time, non-essential retail and outdoor venues including pub gardens were open, but social distancing rules - which included a ban on indoor mixing between households - remained in place.
Durham Police initially investigated and found there was no evidence of rule-breaking, but looked at the case again following the intervention of North West Durham Tory MP Richard Holden in April.
Mr Starmer has repeatedly denied there was any breach in the rules and said that his case was different from that of the Prime Minister who was fined over a birthday party in Downing Street.
Speaking to LBC in June, he said: "I'm different - and if that fixed penalty notice is issued then... I will step down from my posts because I do believe that democracy relies on integrity and honesty, and I hold others to high standards so I'm going to hold myself to those high standards."
A Durham Police statement said: "Following the emergence of significant new information, an investigation was launched by Durham Constabulary into a gathering at the Miners' Hall, in Redhills, Durham on 30 April 2021. That investigation has now concluded.
"A substantial amount of documentary and witness evidence was obtained which identified the 17 participants and their activities during that gathering.
"Following the application of the evidential Full Code Test, it has been concluded that there is no case to answer for a contravention of the regulations, due to the application of an exception, namely reasonably necessary work.
"Accordingly, Durham Constabulary will not be issuing any fixed penalty notices in respect of the gathering and no further action will be taken.
"The investigation has been thorough, detailed and proportionate. The final evidence supplied by participants from the local constituency was returned to Durham Police on 5 July and analysed by investigators against all the evidence before the investigation was concluded on 8 July 2022.
"In line with established national policing guidelines, we will not name or otherwise identify any of those present at the gathering, all of whom have been informed of the investigation outcome by their legal representatives."
Mr Starmer tweeted: "I've always said no rules were broken when I was in Durham.
"The police have completed their investigation and agreed: there is no case to answer.
"For me, this was always a matter of principle. Honesty and integrity matter. You will always get that from me."
I've always said no rules were broken when I was in Durham.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 8, 2022
The police have completed their investigation and agreed: there is no case to answer.
For me, this was always a matter of principle. Honesty and integrity matter. You will always get that from me.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner tweeted: "We've always been clear that no rules were broken in Durham.
"The police have completed their investigation and agreed, saying that there is no case to answer.
"Integrity matters in politics. The contrast with the behaviour of this disgraced Prime Minister couldn't be clearer."
We've always been clear that no rules were broken in Durham. The police have completed their investigation and agreed, saying that there is no case to answer.
— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) July 8, 2022
Integrity matters in politics. The contrast with the behaviour of this disgraced Prime Minister couldn’t be clearer.
Labour's Mary Foy, the MP for the City of Durham in whose offices Mr Starmer was pictured drinking a beer over a takeaway curry with colleagues in April 2021, said she is "delighted" by Durham Police's findings on the event after the "pressure of the last few months".
"I am delighted Durham police have investigated and concluded that neither I or my team have a case to answer in relation to the work visit in Durham on April 30 2021," she said in a written statement.
"I would like to thank officers for their professionalism and diligence throughout the investigation.
"However, it is unfortunate that the desire of some Conservative politicians to score political points has led to so much of Durham Police's time being focused on a matter that was already investigated, especially when their resources are already under significant pressure.
"After the pressure of the last few months, I am enormously appreciative for the understanding my staff and their families have shown in the face of significant intrusion from the right-wing media, including their children and parents being doorstepped.
"Now that this matter has been put to rest, I will continue to focus my efforts on serving my constituents both in Durham and in Westminster, as well as on holding what is left of this shambolic government to account during this cost of living crisis.
"I would like to thank my solicitor, Martin Howe of Howe + Co for their advice and guidance in this high-profile matter."'
