Police dismiss Keir Starmer's claims that he spoke to officer beforeleaving scene of crash

The plot thickens.
QUOTE:
British Transport Police has dismissed Sir Keir Starmer's claim that he spoke to a police officer after crashing with a cyclist instead pointing out it was an 'off-duty' PCSO.

The Labour leader, 58, was involved in a collision with the bike rider near his local pub, The Grafton, just after midday on Sunday in Kentish Town, north west London.

The politician's spokesman claimed he had spoken to a 'BTP police officer' at the scene and exchanged insurance details with the cyclist before leaving him in the care of paramedics.

However, BTP told MailOnline today it had no record of an officer officially speaking with the Labour leader with no details registered on their recording systems.

Later the force stated an off-duty member of staff, a PCSO, had provided their details to him as a witness to the collision.

Onlookers described how the cyclist was left in a 'lot of pain' on the ground after the incident and was taken to hospital by paramedics with an injured arm.

The Metropolitan Police said London Ambulance Service medics informed the force about the crash and two cars arrived at 12.20pm.

By this time Sir Keir had already left the scene, which is near Kentish Town Overground station, his spokesman saying later he had left his details with the 'British Transport Police officer' and the cyclist.

PCSOs are not the same as police officers and do not have powers of arrest, cannot interview or process prisoners, cannot investigate crime and do not carry out the more complex and high-risk tasks they perform.

In a statement The Met did not explain how they learned the politician's identity, but said they left a message at a driver's home for him to report the incident.

They have not named Sir Keir because he has not been charged with an offence.

It is thought that he was driving a Toyota Rav 4 SUV when the collision happened with the cyclist.

Local resident Nicolas Janes, 39, told The Sun: 'I was walking and there was a bang. A loud bang. I didn't witness it directly but could hear the impact.

'I saw what happened after. The cyclist was on the pavement, he was holding his arm. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.

'There were people helping the cyclist. He just remained on the floor in pain. They looked concerned for him.'

A Metropolitan Police spokesman told MailOnline they were alerted by medics.

He added: 'Police were alerted by LAS at around 12.20hrs on Sunday 25 October to a report of a road traffic collision between a cyclist and car in Grafton Road, NW5.

'The driver of the car had stopped at the scene and exchanged details with the cyclist but had left before officers arrived.

'The male cyclist received a minor injury to his arm and was taken to hospital by LAS as a precaution.

Officers later attempted to contact the driver of the car and left a message advising him to report the matter to police.

'The driver of the car subsequently attended a north London police station.

'He was not arrested or interviewed under caution. An investigation into the collision is ongoing by officers from the Roads and Transport Policing Command.'

A spokesperson for Sir Keir said he had spoken to the BTP before leaving.

They added: 'Keir was involved in a minor road traffic accident on Sunday.

'He spoke to a British Transport Police officer who attended the scene and swapped details with the officer and the other individual involved.

'Keir stayed at the scene until the ambulance arrived. Later that afternoon, he reported the incident to a police station in accordance with the law. Since the incident, Keir has also been in touch with the other individual involved.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...h-cyclist.html

On 27/10/2020 21:11, Simon Mason wrote:
The plot thickens.
QUOTE:
British Transport Police has dismissed Sir Keir Starmer's claim that he spoke to a police officer after crashing with a cyclist instead pointing out it was an 'off-duty' PCSO.

The Labour leader, 58, was involved in a collision with the bike rider near his local pub, The Grafton, just after midday on Sunday in Kentish Town, north west London.

The politician's spokesman claimed he had spoken to a 'BTP police officer' at the scene and exchanged insurance details with the cyclist before leaving him in the care of paramedics.

However, BTP told MailOnline today it had no record of an officer officially speaking with the Labour leader with no details registered on their recording systems.

Later the force stated an off-duty member of staff, a PCSO, had provided their details to him as a witness to the collision.

Onlookers described how the cyclist was left in a 'lot of pain' on the ground after the incident and was taken to hospital by paramedics with an injured arm.

The Metropolitan Police said London Ambulance Service medics informed the force about the crash and two cars arrived at 12.20pm.

By this time Sir Keir had already left the scene, which is near Kentish Town Overground station, his spokesman saying later he had left his details with the 'British Transport Police officer' and the cyclist.

PCSOs are not the same as police officers and do not have powers of arrest, cannot interview or process prisoners, cannot investigate crime and do not carry out the more complex and high-risk tasks they perform.

In a statement The Met did not explain how they learned the politician's identity, but said they left a message at a driver's home for him to report the incident.

They have not named Sir Keir because he has not been charged with an offence.

It is thought that he was driving a Toyota Rav 4 SUV when the collision happened with the cyclist.

Local resident Nicolas Janes, 39, told The Sun: 'I was walking and there was a bang. A loud bang. I didn't witness it directly but could hear the impact.

'I saw what happened after. The cyclist was on the pavement, he was holding his arm. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.

'There were people helping the cyclist. He just remained on the floor in pain. They looked concerned for him.'

A Metropolitan Police spokesman told MailOnline they were alerted by medics.

He added: 'Police were alerted by LAS at around 12.20hrs on Sunday 25 October to a report of a road traffic collision between a cyclist and car in Grafton Road, NW5.

'The driver of the car had stopped at the scene and exchanged details with the cyclist but had left before officers arrived.

'The male cyclist received a minor injury to his arm and was taken to hospital by LAS as a precaution.

Officers later attempted to contact the driver of the car and left a message advising him to report the matter to police.

'The driver of the car subsequently attended a north London police station.

'He was not arrested or interviewed under caution. An investigation into the collision is ongoing by officers from the Roads and Transport Policing Command.'

A spokesperson for Sir Keir said he had spoken to the BTP before leaving.

They added: 'Keir was involved in a minor road traffic accident on Sunday.

'He spoke to a British Transport Police officer who attended the scene and swapped details with the officer and the other individual involved.

'Keir stayed at the scene until the ambulance arrived. Later that afternoon, he reported the incident to a police station in accordance with the law. Since the incident, Keir has also been in touch with the other individual involved.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...h-cyclist.html

There was a time when politicians attaining the rank of cabinet minister
(or shadow equivalent) used to sell their cars and refrain from driving
because of the ever=present risk - especially in London - of being
involved in a collision (irrespective of whose fault it might be).

When did that stop?

On Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 9:11:46 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:
The plot thickens.

Note that he scarpered before a breath test could be checked.

On Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 9:19:01 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:
On Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 9:11:46 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:
The plot thickens.

Note that he scarpered before a breath test could be checked.

The Sun now claims to have a witness who says that Starmer was attempting a U-turn while driving his SUV and a Deliveroo rider on an electric bike went into the side of him.

(Of course, the Sun isn't renowned as a source of genuine and/or impartial information. They're probably only a day away from claiming that Starmer was driving a load of stolen hamsters at the time or some such sh!t...).

On Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 10:00:42 AM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:
On Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 9:19:01 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:
On Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at 9:11:46 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:
The plot thickens.

Sir Keir Starmer has forced Prime Minister Boris Johnson into a number of U-turns in recent months – but now it has emerged that the leader of the opposition was trying to do one himself in his SUV when he knocked over a cyclist in Kentish Town, north London, on Sunday.

Sir Keir Starmer interviewed by police after crash with cyclist while driving in north west London

The Sun reports (link is external) that the cyclist, who needed hospital treatment for the injuries he sustained when he was knocked off his bike, was said to have shouted, “How did you not see me?�

According to the newspaper Starmer, who lives in the area, was running late for an appointment with his tailor when he struck the cyclist, whom eyewitnesses have said was a food delivery rider for Deliveroo.

One witness said: “The cyclist hit the car from the driver’s side. The side door was damaged and it was scuffed. When I went over to see what happened I heard the cyclist say, ‘How did you not see me?’�

Starmer, who reportedly claimed to have missed his turning, parked nearby, said the witness.

“He looked like he just came back from the gym and was wearing a black bomber jacket. I then went to finish taking the shopping inside and within ten minutes he was gone.

“The cyclist was nearly in tears, holding his left arm in pain outside of the bed and breakfast hotel. He looked angry and very annoyed.�

The 58-year-old politician, who is Member of Parliament for Holborn & St Pancras, exchanged details with the cyclist at the scene, and a statement released by his office claimed that he had also spoken to a police officer from British Transport Police (BTP).

Yesterday, however, the force said: “It was not a police officer, it was an off-duty member of BTP staff that provided their details as a witness to the collision. It was a PCSO."

Starmer, a former Director of Public Prosecutions, subsequently visited Kentish Town police station to give a statement to the Metropolitan Police, who are investigating the incident.

https://road.cc/content/news/witness...cyclist-278313

On Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 1:40:39 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:

Nasty dent in his car!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...o-cyclist.html

On Tuesday, 27 October 2020 at 21:15:33 UTC, JNugent wrote:
On 27/10/2020 21:11, Simon Mason wrote:
The plot thickens.
QUOTE:
British Transport Police has dismissed Sir Keir Starmer's claim that he spoke to a police officer after crashing with a cyclist instead pointing out it was an 'off-duty' PCSO.

The Labour leader, 58, was involved in a collision with the bike rider near his local pub, The Grafton, just after midday on Sunday in Kentish Town, north west London.

The politician's spokesman claimed he had spoken to a 'BTP police officer' at the scene and exchanged insurance details with the cyclist before leaving him in the care of paramedics.

However, BTP told MailOnline today it had no record of an officer officially speaking with the Labour leader with no details registered on their recording systems.

Later the force stated an off-duty member of staff, a PCSO, had provided their details to him as a witness to the collision.

Onlookers described how the cyclist was left in a 'lot of pain' on the ground after the incident and was taken to hospital by paramedics with an injured arm.

The Metropolitan Police said London Ambulance Service medics informed the force about the crash and two cars arrived at 12.20pm.

By this time Sir Keir had already left the scene, which is near Kentish Town Overground station, his spokesman saying later he had left his details with the 'British Transport Police officer' and the cyclist.

PCSOs are not the same as police officers and do not have powers of arrest, cannot interview or process prisoners, cannot investigate crime and do not carry out the more complex and high-risk tasks they perform.

In a statement The Met did not explain how they learned the politician's identity, but said they left a message at a driver's home for him to report the incident.

They have not named Sir Keir because he has not been charged with an offence.

It is thought that he was driving a Toyota Rav 4 SUV when the collision happened with the cyclist.

Local resident Nicolas Janes, 39, told The Sun: 'I was walking and there was a bang. A loud bang. I didn't witness it directly but could hear the impact.

'I saw what happened after. The cyclist was on the pavement, he was holding his arm. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.

'There were people helping the cyclist. He just remained on the floor in pain. They looked concerned for him.'

A Metropolitan Police spokesman told MailOnline they were alerted by medics.

He added: 'Police were alerted by LAS at around 12.20hrs on Sunday 25 October to a report of a road traffic collision between a cyclist and car in Grafton Road, NW5.

'The driver of the car had stopped at the scene and exchanged details with the cyclist but had left before officers arrived.

'The male cyclist received a minor injury to his arm and was taken to hospital by LAS as a precaution.

Officers later attempted to contact the driver of the car and left a message advising him to report the matter to police.

'The driver of the car subsequently attended a north London police station.

'He was not arrested or interviewed under caution. An investigation into the collision is ongoing by officers from the Roads and Transport Policing Command.'

A spokesperson for Sir Keir said he had spoken to the BTP before leaving.

They added: 'Keir was involved in a minor road traffic accident on Sunday.

'He spoke to a British Transport Police officer who attended the scene and swapped details with the officer and the other individual involved.

'Keir stayed at the scene until the ambulance arrived. Later that afternoon, he reported the incident to a police station in accordance with the law. Since the incident, Keir has also been in touch with the other individual involved.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...h-cyclist.html
There was a time when politicians attaining the rank of cabinet minister
(or shadow equivalent) used to sell their cars and refrain from driving
because of the ever=present risk - especially in London - of being
involved in a collision (irrespective of whose fault it might be).

When did that stop?

An honest politician is one who stays bought.