Jeremy Corbyn broke ‘rule of six’ with dinner to honour ‘anarchist’ pal behind Occupy Wall Street
JEREMY Corbyn broke the “rule of six” with a dinner to honour “anarchist” pal behind Occupy Wall Street.
The ex-Labour leader was forced to apologise after he was snapped at a dinner party with eight other people last weekend – in clear breach of the new guidelines.
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Mr Corbyn, 71, had the dinner to remember the late Occupy Wall Street organiser David Graeber.
The former Labour party leader and his wife Laura Alvarez, 51, joined his widow, the artist Nika Dubrovsky.
Mr Graeber died suddenly in September in Venice.
The 59-year-old had been widely credited with helping to organise Occupy and its ‘We are the 99%’ slogan.
Mr Corbyn paid tribute to Mr Graeber in a film last month.
He said: “He was a very organised anarchist. What David saw was anarchism as empowerment of people.
“David became a very trenchant defender and supporter of us and I will be forever grateful to him for that.
“I was talking to Nika last night, his widow, and they were discussing performance as a lecturer. Apparently unprecedented numbers of students wanted to come to his lectures.”
It comes as a Labour shadow Cabinet minister said Mr Corbyn “should pay” a £200 fine for breaking the rules.
But Labour’s minister for mental health, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan has said it is the “right thing” for Mr Corbyn to cough up and a pay a fine for breaking the rules.
She told Times Radio: “Of course he should pay a fine. Anyone that breaks the law should pay a fine.
“I am glad that he has apologised. That was the right thing to do.”
Dr Allin-Khan, an NHS A&E doctor who works in a London hospital, said: “It does seem as though he was at a dinner party and more people arrived and when it got to six he should have left.
“We all have a responsibility to adhere to the rules.”
She also claimed she “understood” that Mr Corbyn was paying a fine.
She told told GMB: “It’s right that Jeremy Corbyn is being held to account there are people who are making huge sacrifices,
“Jeremy Corbyn was wrong, he’s apologised. Which was the right thing to do, and he is paying a fine. That’s my understanding.”
What is Occupy Wall Street?
Occupy Wall Street was a protest movement that began in New York City’s Wall Street financial district, in September 2011.
It quickly spread to the wider Occupy movement in the US and around the world.
The protest movement was centred on fighting economic inequality.
Their slogan “We are the 99%” refers to the income inequality between the wealthiest 1% and the rest of the population.
Mr Corbyn, his wife and fellow guests at the dinner party in London last Saturday now face fines totalling up to £1,800.
The socialist ex-leader apologised for breaking the rules which have meant many families can’t meet up for lunch or even see both grandparents at the same time.
He told The Sun: “I recently had dinner at a friend’s house where the number of guests eventually exceeded five.
“I understand that remaining at the dinner was a breach of the rule of six. I apologise for my mistake.”
But Downing Street has not demanded that he be fined.
A No10 spokesperson said today: “In relation to individuals it’s for the police to determine what action to take.
“What the PM is clear on is the rules apply to everyone and everyone should follow them.”
It came as Boris Johnson’s dad, Stanley, 80, was also snapped breaking Covid rules – not wearing a mask in a shop.
He’s also apologised for the error.
The PM’s spokesperson added: “You have heard the PM’s father apologise for his mistake.
“He recognises his error and fully understands its vital for everyone to abide by the rules on face coverings and social distancing.”
“I think the PM is clear the rules apply to everyone and should follow.”
Boris Johnson doubled fines for breaking the rule of six last week, as the Government ramped up its efforts to crack down on people who ignore the rules.
It bans gatherings of more than six indoors or outdoors unless they already live together, with potential fines of £200 each for first-time offenders.
The fines jump up to £6,400 for people who continually break the rules.
Asked if Mr Corbyn should be handed a fine for his dinner party, Environment Secretary George Eustice told Sky News: “The police will obviously take appropriate action here.
“We’ve got the rule of six, and there are fines that can be put in place. But the police will apply this in a proportionate way.”
He added: “We have the rule of six, and it’s being enforced and should be enforced, yes.
“But that doesn’t mean that there should be a penalty in every case.
“Sometimes it can be a warning, sometimes people make mistakes and apologise for it.”
When asked, Mr Eustice joked it was “quite possible” Mr Corbyn couldn’t count to six.
The Sun understands the rule-breaching party was held at a home belonging to one of Corbyn’s long-term pals.
Guests included left-wing activists, filmmakers and artists.
During the evening, one left the table and took a photograph of the remaining eight.
It prompted a grumpy reaction from checked-shirt wearing Corbyn, who was sitting two seats away from his wife.
A source said: “It’s clear that Jeremy realised immediately the danger the photo had put him in.
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“His face says it all. He knew he shouldn’t have been present and he, of all people, should know the rules.
“But it seems that when it comes to social distancing, some are more equal than others.”
The dinner party was held on the same day his older brother Piers, 73, led an anti-mask and social distancing rally in Trafalgar Square.
