The Times today sets out a somewhat light touch and sanitised run down of Starmer’s complex and revealing legal career – during which Sir Keir frequently blurred the line between representation and political campaigning. It includes tough material such as interviews with his best friends at the bar. Guido brings you the full goods…
Let’s begin with his role in a 2004 case which involved the attempted sabotage of NATO jets at an RAF base on the eve of the invasion of Iraq. Starmer acted for one of the defendants:
“The defendant was discovered at 0210hrs on the 18th March 2003 just outside the perimeter fence of RAF Fairford close to where a section of the perimeter fence had recently been cut. He was in possession of a rucksack in which petrol and washing-up liquid was found mixed together, which he said were intended to set fire to the wheels of a bomber. He stated that he had intended to take this action in order to stop a crime in that the bombers were taking part in an illegal war.”
Starmer acted for the saboteur during his appeal, mounting an argument that the Iraq War was potentially justiciable in UK courts – therefore claiming those accused of criminal damage could rely on domestic defences such as necessity. It’s an example of the human rights sophistry which is about to dominate British public debate…
A Labour spokesman is saying of Starmer’s legal record: “In this country, everyone is entitled to a defence. A lawyer can no sooner choose who they represent than a doctor can choose their patients.” If you have cancer you go to an oncologist, if you have a bad heart you go to a cardiologist, if you’re an anti-NATO direct action group you go to Sir Keir Starmer…
Guido has been warning of the class action threat to British business posed by an incoming Starmer government. US style left wing lawfare is coming at Britain fast…
The consciousness of some co-conspirators has been jogged: they recall that Pogust Goodhead, one of the biggest names in the class action industry, teamed up with now disgraced former Labour MP Geraint Davies to promote Clean Air Day. Davies later lost the whip in 2023, after multiple allegations of unrelated wrongdoing emerged. Unfortunate…
Tom Goodhead, founder and CEO of the company, is on record: “This isn’t an NGO, though I know we look like one. We are here to make a profit… I’ve got trainee solicitors earning 150k.” The firm has also been receiving some less-than-stellar reviews from former employees on review site Glassdoor. One post reads: “The London lawyers come to Brazil to sexualise the women in the company. They invite the team out when the London lawyers are here and we’ve had situations where some of the girls were being groped, sexually harassed and they were also overheard calling the women gold diggers.” Another says: “(the) company’s image of fighting for human rights felt hollow. Making the whole concept feel like a mere marketing ploy. I felt exploited to see clients being shuffled around for press opportunities”. Will Labour vow not to pursue controversial class actions if they enter government, despite their extensive links to the industry?
An interesting stunt just unveiled by Labour in south London – seemingly portraying Rishi Sunak as a British Asian corner shop keeper – selling ‘Rishi’s Mega Mortgages’. Guido always loves a good election stunt and it’s all a bit of fun from Labour…
Though some eyebrows are being raised over the choice of depiction – which does seem to have a whiff of the dog whistle about it. Remember the backlash when Keir Starmer said Sunak ‘doesn’t get Britain’…
The chairman of leading oil and gas company Serica Energy, David Latin, has poured cold water over Labour’s energy plans. Ahead of Serica’s AGM today, he warned Labour spell disaster for UK investment and jobs in the energy sector. He said Britain is heading down a path of worrying reliance on foreign imports:
“The UK consumes almost twice as much oil and gas as it produces. This deficit will persist even as the country seeks to reduce its consumption of hydrocarbons… yet another increase in the tax rate to 78% is proposed by the Labour Party… would make investment in the vast majority of UK North Sea projects unprofitable”.
Latin exposes Labour’s catchy sound bites like ‘proper windfall tax’ and ‘oil and gas giants’ as misleading. Oil and gas firms already bear a hefty 75% tax burden—three times that of other sectors. Labour’s proposal to jack this up to 78% will sink profitability for crucial North Sea projects with tax revenue and jobs as collateral. Co-conspirators have already seen Labour won’t admit the hundreds of billions their energy plans will cost. Now it’s been said it could steer Britain towards deeper foreign dependence, undermining both economic and environmental goals in one fell swoop…
The Institute of Economic Affairs have released a report into how party manifestos are riddled with red tape. Unsurprisingly, Labour’s manifesto reads like a bureaucrat’s dream, crammed with 62 new regulatory proposals. The measure range from permanent fracking bans to rigorous equal pay duties and draconian energy efficiency standards for rentals. The Party only make 13 suggestions to cut red tape…
The Labour manifesto of burdens ultimately lands on the taxpayer to foot the bill. Labour has proposed just five tax-raising measures to rake in an additional £8.6 billion, though the business costs related to their regulatory changes will likely be much higher. Matthew Lesh of the IEA said:
“The major parties are proposing a tsunami of new regulations that could significantly increase costs for businesses and consumers…It’s concerning that parties claim to have ‘fully costed’ manifestos while ignoring the substantial costs of their regulatory proposals.”
Meanwhile the report finds the Tories have 28 policies to increase regulation and Reform have 14. With Starmer set to grab the keys to Downing Street next week, this may be just the start of a heavy-handed regulatory Labour government…
Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was asked this morning on GB News how many billions Labour’s Net Zero plan would cost. She refused to answer the question, instead spinning the costly plan:
“The answer is how we move to a position of decarbonising our economy, creating more jobs, is through private investment, not just public money. So you can invest relatively modest sums of public money and that brings in real returns.”
It comes after The Telegraph leaked a recording of Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones admitting that their energy plans would cost “hundreds of billions” of pounds. He dubbed the original £28 billion black hole – already an eye-watering figure – a “tiny” amount compared to the reality. It’s clear they’re hiding the true cost of the plans, which will ultimately be shouldered by taxpayers. Labour will do as they always do: tax and spend, tax and spend…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”
