Keir Starmer laid tribute to Southport victims earlier than going for drinks
Sir Keir Starmer joined celebrity Labour backers for a party in the Downing Street garden just hours after laying flowers for the children murdered in the Southport knife attack, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
The Prime Minister mingled with Labour supporters at a barbecue at No 10 on the evening of July 30 after he laid a floral tribute earlier that day in Southport, where three children were fatally stabbed during a dance class.
Celebrity guests at the do included TV presenter June Sarpong, soap actress Michelle Collins, and Helen Thorn and Ellie Gibson, who present the Scummy Mummies podcast.
The MoS can reveal the event was also attended by Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli, who has given more than £900,000 to the party and its candidates since 2004.
This newspaper understands that Sir Keir arrived at the party in Downing Street’s rose garden at around 8pm. Around half an hour later, Southport erupted into violence, with hundreds attacking a mosque. It has previously been reported that Lord Alli, whose wealth is estimated at £200 million, organised a post-election reception in the Downing Street garden with others who had helped to bankroll the campaign.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer (right) arrives with a floral tribute to the child victims of a knife attack in Southport on July 30, 2024
Ellie Gibson (left) and Helen Thorn (right), who present the Scummy Mummies podcast, were present at the Downing Street do
Ms Sarpong, a former girlfriend of Foreign Secretary David Lammy, posed for a picture outside No 10 with Larry the Downing Street cat
EastEnders actress Michelle Collins also posted a picture posing outside Number 10
The Prime Minister’s message reads: ‘To the victims, families and people of Southport, our hearts are broken. There are no words for such profound loss. The nation’s thoughts are with you’. The message is signed by Keir Starmer
Labour sources denied Lord Alli organised, hosted or paid for the July 30 barbecue – but conceded he was among party supporters who attended.
Sir Keir last night faced accusations of hypocrisy after last month claiming that under the Tories the rose garden, where Boris Johnson was pictured eating cheese and drinking wine with staff during the first Covid lockdown, ‘became a symbol of the rot at the heart of their government’.
Senior Tory MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke said: ‘Sir Keir is now exposed as a hypocrite of the worst sort.
‘The only rot here is how Sir Keir’s behaviour in government dismally fail to match up to his pious, holier-than-thou words.’
He added: ‘Given the dreadful events that occurred only the day before, it was crassly insensitive for Sir Keir and Labour to have gone ahead with this party.
‘At the very least, the PM should have postponed it.’
Reform MP Richard Tice said the party showed ‘an incredible lack of empathy, sympathy and awareness of the state of the country.’
Sources claim the barbecue, which was scheduled to take place between 5.30pm and 7.30pm, was held to thank volunteers and activists for their hard work and support during the election campaign.
More than 100 guests were served sausages and rose wine and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner gave a speech before Sir Keir arrived.
Ms Sarpong, a former girlfriend of Foreign Secretary David Lammy, posed for a picture outside No 10 with Larry the Downing Street cat.
‘After 14 LOOOONG years, lovely to be back at No10 with a Labour PM in residence!’ she later wrote on Instagram.
The Prime Minister lays his own floral tribute in Southport
Sir Keir observes the floral tributes for three young girls who died in a knife attack during a Taylor Swift dance class
Sir Keir walks through the rose garden at Downing Street. After Boris Johnson was pictured eating wine and cheese in the garden during the Covid lockdown, Sir Keir called it ‘a symbol of the rot at the heart of their government’
Senior Tory MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke (pictured right) said: ‘Sir Keir is now exposed as a hypocrite of the worst sort’
Reform MP Richard Tice (pictured) said the party showed ‘an incredible lack of empathy, sympathy and awareness of the state of the country’
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper walks with flowers near the scene where three children were killed in Southport
Ms Cooper (pictured laying a floral tribute) gave a sombre statement to the House of Commons in which she updated MPs on the ‘devastating attack’ in Southport and named the three victims who died
At just before 6.30pm, while the barbecue was still taking place, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper gave a sombre statement to the House of Commons in which she updated MPs on the ‘devastating attack’ in Southport and named the three victims who died.
Earlier in the day, Sir Keir was heckled as he paid his condolences in the seaside town, with one man declaring: ‘Here’s your photo opportunity.’
A Labour source said: ‘The Tories drunkenly partied and puked on the walls while the country obeyed the rules.
‘The rose garden has now been returned to service and was used to say thank you to people from around the country who gave their all for a Labour victory.’
