Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to resign as Labour leader if he is issued with a fixed-penalty notice by Durham police for a possible breach of Covid rules.

       The Labour’s leader’s statement comes after he cancelled his morning commitments — including a major speech on the Queen’s Speech — amid continuing questions over a beer-and-curry gathering in April 2021.

       Announcing the high-stakes gamble, Sir Keir said that if the police decide to issue him with a fixed penalty notice, he will “do the right thing and step down” as leader.

       “I believe in honour, integrity and the principle that those who make the rules must follow them,” he insisted at a hastily arranged press conference at Labour HQ.

       Sir Keir added: “This matters. It matters because the British public deserve politicians who think the rules apply to them.

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       “They deserve politicians who hold themselves to the highest standards. And they deserve politicians who put the country first rather than themselves. They will always, always get that from me.”

       Sir Keir also appeared to suggest he would even stand down if Durham Constabulary fine him for breaching the rules but decline to issue a fine retrospectively.

       “If you’ve made a law you should respect the law and if you’re found to be in breach of it you should step down,” he told reporters.

       After talks with close allies on Monday morning, Sir Keir opted for the strategy of committing to resign if he has found to have breached Covid rules and issued with a fine, as Boris Johnson was last month by the Metropolitan Police.

       The Labour leader, who has repeatedly called on the prime minister to resign over the Partygate scandal, insisted, however, he is “absolutely clear” no rules were broken.

       He also claimed the Conservatives accusing him of breaking lockdown rules of “trying to feed cynicism to get the public to believe all politicians are the same”.

       Minutes after his statement, Angela Rayner also said she would stand aside as Labour’s deputy leader if she is fined by Durham police over the event in April 2021.

       She said in a statement: “I’ve always been clear that I was at the event in Durham working in my capacity as deputy leader and that no rules were broken. Eating during a long day’s work was not against the rules.

       “We have a prime minister who has been found to have broken the rules, lied about it and then been fined. If I were issued with a fine, I would do the decent thing and step down.”

       A spokesperson for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice said Sir Keir had made the “right decision” and stood in contrast to the prime minister, who has refused to resign despite being the first sitting prime minister to be found to have broken the law.

       They said the comments showed “integrity, decency and respect to the bereaved” , adding: “At the end of the day the country can’t be led by someone who’s been fined for breaking lockdown rules.

       “The pandemic isn’t over, and if, God forbid, a new vaccine resistant strain should emerge, it’s essential we have a leader with the moral authority to introduce restrictions if needed. If we don’t, lives could be lost as a result.”

       Harriet Harman — a former deputy leader of the party — told Sky News the move by Sir Keir was “in character with the person, he believes in the highest standards in public office”.

       “He’s doing it because he believes it is the right thing to do,” she said. “Probity in politics matters to him”.

       Their comments came after the Labour leader pulled out of a planned speech at the Institute for Government (IfG) on “meeting the challenges the country faces” ahead of the Queen’s Speech at the state opening of Parliament on Tuesday.

       The party declined to explain why the appearance was cancelled, other than to say “plans change”. He also canelled a planned attendance at a memorial event for the former Conservative cabinet minister, James Brokenshire, on Monday morning.

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       Despite initially deciding not take action when images of the Labour leader consuming beer first appeared, Durham Police announced on Friday it would launch an investigation into a potential breach of Covid laws.

       Labour has stressed the event at Durham Miners’ Hall in April 2021 was within the rules, as it was held between work events and staff were campaigning in the Hartlepool by-election.