Defence minister Louise Sandher-Jones was forced to correct the record in the Commons today after she claimed that Starmer had never worked with disgraced lawyer Phil Shiner. As Guido revealed two years ago, Starmer literally contributed an entire chapter to Shiner’s book in 2008. Starmer also advised Shiner on a legal challenge aiming to stop peace activists’ taxes from funding military action…
Sandher-Jones was forced to make a Point of Order today to apologise:
“I would like to correct the record in relation to something I said during the last defence orals. On the 2nd of February, 2026, I said the prime minister did not work with any of Phil Shiner’s organisations and his role was limited to working with the law society on points of law. However, since then, it has been brought to my attention that in 2006, the prime minister was instructed to represent an individual by the law firm for which Mr. Shiner was the principal solicitor. So I would like to take this earliest opportunity to apologise to the House and correct the record.”
No defence for that…
The Telegraph has gone very big on Starmer’s contribution to a book by disgraced lawyer Phil Shiner in which he carps about the ECHR’s uses in prosecuting British troops. Their ‘exclusive’ investigation may sound familiar to co-conspirators…
Guido revealed that Starmer had contributed an entire chapter to Shiner’s book. In December 2024…
Starmer’s chapter was titled “Responsibility for Troops Abroad: UN-Mandated Forces and Issues of Human Rights Accountability.” Using one example Starmer explicitly argued that the ECHR’s jurisdiction should extend such that troops in action could be prosecuted more readily. Shiner – prior to being struck off – provided glowing praise for Starmer in the foreword of his book. Why won’t sharks attack human rights lawyers? Out of professional courtesy…
Yesterday, disgraced former human rights lawyer Phil Shiner received a two-year suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to three counts of fraud connected to his notorious cases against British soldiers in Iraq. Hacks have noted that Starmer, the self-proclaimed champion of justice, has quite the history with Shiner…
Back in 2005, Starmer advised Shiner on a legal challenge aiming to stop peace activists’ taxes from funding military action. By 2006, he was representing a suspected terrorist in Iraq suing the UK government for unlawful detention—another case brought to him by Shiner. The collaboration didn’t end there…
Guido’s spotted that in 2008, Starmer contributed an entire chapter to Shiner’s book The Iraq War and International Law. Shiner’s glowing foreword heaps praise on Starmer’s work:
“The fact that the court may be required to consider political negotiations and discussions does not imply that the issue is non-justiciable. One need look no further than Keir Starmer’s chapter in this volume on the case of Al-Jedda for that proposition to be made good.”
Starmer’s chapter titled “Responsibility for Troops Abroad: UN-Mandated Forces and Issues of Human Rights Accountability”, runs for 20 pages and delves into the “UN Security Council as a legislative body” and the “role of international law” . One human rights case Starmer discusses is that of Ruzhdi Saramati, who was detained for 6 months without trial by Kosovo Forces troops in 2001 on suspicion of attempted murder and illegal possession of a weapon (he was later convicted of attempted murder in 2002). Saramati alleged a breach of Article 5 of the ECHR for the detainment. The ECHR ruled that actions taken by Kosovo Forces were attributable to the UN, not individual states and as the ECHR lacked jurisdiction over the UN, the case was deemed inadmissible. The ruling prompted Starmer to conclude:
“The obvious concern about the decision of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in Behrami/Saramati is that it might undermine the accountability of troops operating abroad that can be established through international human rights law. Such political accountability as there may be for the UN through the Security Council is no substitute for legal accountability under international human rights law. Either the approach taken in Behrami/Saramati, and perhaps the whole delegation thesis, has to be re-examined, or the accountability mechanisms of the UN have to be radically, and speedily, overhauled.”
As Sir Keir boasted at PMQs, he spent five years as a human rights lawyer. Clearly, Shiner thought highly of his former colleague’s legal reflections. Looks like Haigh isn’t the only fraudster Starmer’s been cosy with…
The National Crime Agency says that ex-lawyer Phil Shiner has pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud in relation to applications made in 2007 for public funding for legal action against the MoD. Shiner’s legal challenge led to a public inquiry into alleged atrocities by British Troops in Iraq in 2004…
Seven years later the inquiry concluded that claims British soldiers executed Iraqi prisoners and tortured others were completely untrue. Shiner pleaded guilty to charges related to his failure to disclose the fact that he had paid for referrals and asked a middleman to approach claimants when applying for public funding. The NCA’s International Corruption Unit chief said:
“This conviction is a milestone in what has been a thorough and complex domestic and international investigation. Shiner’s actions resulted in untold pressure and anxiety on members of the British Armed Forces, pursuing legal challenges funded through dishonest actions.”
Shiner will go on to be convicted at Southwark Crown Court in December. The end of a years-long saga…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”