Sir Keir Starmer has been branded a "hypocrite" over attacking Boris Johnson for Downing Street parties during lockdown, despite pictures of the Labour leader allegedly drinking with staff members during lockdown.

Last May Starmer was pictured drinking with party staff, with the image having been taken outside the window of a constituency office in Durham in the days leading up to the Hartlepool by-election.

At the time England was in step two out of the third lockdown and indoor mixing between different households was prohibited except in work scenarios.

As reported in The Telegraph a Conservative source told the news site: "Sir Keir has spent the past two months criticising people for doing the exact same thing he's been doing himself.

Your Local Guardian: Keir Starmer had called for Boris Johnson's resignation (PA)Keir Starmer had called for Boris Johnson's resignation (PA)

They went on to add that the Labour leader was an "absolute hypocrite" for his actions.

Sir Keir Starmer responds to lockdown drinking allegations

Labour has always denied any rules were broken, saying in a statement: "Keir was in the workplace, meeting a local MP in her constituency office and participating in an online Labour Party event.

"They paused for dinner as the meeting was during the evening."

What did Keir Starmer say about Boris Johnson?

Earlier in the week Starmer called for Boris Johnson's resignation after the Prime Minister admitted to attending a "bring your own booze" party in the No.10 garden in May 2020.

It had been seen as an admission that the Conservatives had not been following the lockdown rules they had created.