It was no great surprise to see the former Labour leader brazenly flouting Covid rules at a dinner party for nine. He and his wife Laura were joined by seven others as they posed for a photo that has since gone viral. The dinner was reportedly held in honour of hard left US activist David Graeber, who died last month. His widow Nina was a guest and sat next to Corbyn.
David Graeber's widow (with dreadlocks seated on Corbyn's left) |
Corbyn has persistently flouted Covid rules and advice throughout the year. During the national lockdown when over 70s were advised to isolate, Corbyn continued to work as normal. He attended the Commons in person, was pictured not observing social distancing and even travelled to TV studios for in-person interviews at a time when satellite interviews were becoming the norm. On the day mandatory masks were introduced in shops in England, both he and his wife were photographed shopping without them.
Labour frontbencher Rosena Allin-Khan was asked about Corbyn's latest breach during her media rounds on Thursday. Allin-Khan is no fan of Corbyn and she didn't make any attempts to defend him, albeit she couldn't help but bring up the lockdown travels of Dominic Cummings (as is traditional for any self-respecting Labour Remainer). She contradicted herself as to whether Corbyn had been/would be fined for his latest breach, telling Sky's Kay Burley that he should be fined (see below), while telling Piers Morgan that he had been fined.
The Metropolitan Police have since confirmed that Corbyn will not be fined as they do not investigate Covid breaches 'retrospectively'. Boris Johnson's father Stanley will also not be fined after he was pictured without a face mask in a London shop.