SENIOR Cumbrians have weighed-in on the 'beergate' fiasco after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer pledged to resign if found in breach of lockdown rules.

Sir Keir has faced pressure to resign from all sides of the political spectrum after fresh evidence emerged in a Durham Police investigation.

The leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition is alleged to have breached lockdown rules hosting a gathering at Durham MP Mary Foy’s office in April.

He was pictured holding a beer at an alleged gathering when rules banned household mixing indoors.

Sir Keir has maintained that the covert picture was taken at a break between work when he briefly stopped to eat a takeaway, before returning to constituency work.

The Labour leader was vocal in his criticism of Boris Johnson when details emerged of the Prime Minister’s own lockdown breaches and that of his team, which have since brought Fixed Penalty Notices.

Sir Keir has now pledged to resign if Durham Police find that he was in breach of Covid-19 regulations.

Leader of Allerdale Borough Council Mike Johnson said: “If that’s what Keir said last on what he expected of Boris, it would only be right if he expected somebody else to do it.

“He said that’s what he would do, he would be a hypocrite if he didn’t do the same.”

Former Labour MP for Carlisle Eric Martlew said: “What he’s said is he’s innocent, he’s always maintained he’s innocent therefore he believes he’s going to be cleared.

“If he’s fined then he has done the honourable thing by saying he will resign. The contrast between him and the Prime Minister is stark.

“The PM said he hasn’t done anything wrong, he was found not only to be at these parties, he was found also to have lied to the House of Commons.”

Revelations of Downing Street lockdown breaches are believed by some to be partly responsible for the Conservatives’ poor showing at the ballot box last week.

But Councillor Johnson said: “Historically, any Government that’s mid-term, when there’s a by-election it’s often an opportunity to kick-back.

"I don’t think it’s any one particular reason, it’ll be a combination of things.”

READ MORE: Keir Starmer under Durham police investigation amid 'significant new information'