Keir Starmer’s betrayal of veterans exposed by investigation demand | Politics | News

Sir Keir Starmer allegedly called for a “mandatory duty” to investigate allegations against British soldiers. The Prime Minister is already facing criticism, including from former SAS commanders, for his approach to protecting those who serve their country.

The latest claim was revealed in newly released court documents. The files reportedly show that the Prime Minister laid the legal groundwork for hundreds of failed investigations into British troops operating in Iraq. The case is said to have led to the expansion of the Iraq Historical Allegations Team, also known as IHAT, after it won its appeal at the European Court of Human Rights.

IHAT carried out an investigation costing £60 million over seven years without a single prosecution. Telegram court documents revealed.

Sir Keir, along with the current Attorney-General Lord Hermer, is thought to be working on the case pro bono on behalf of human rights groups who are pressing for UK military personnel in Iraq to be subject to European human rights laws.

This came just days after The Telegraph reported that the Prime Minister had written a chapter for a book compiled in 2008 by disgraced lawyer Phil Shiner, which he described as calling for European human rights laws to be used to investigate British troops in Iraq.

Downing Street reacted to the report; Sir Keir’s official spokesman described it as a “desperate and deliberate misrepresentation” and insisted the episode was “an academic legal analysis of international human rights law”.

Latest court documents reportedly show Sir Keir and Lord Hermer called for human rights laws to be used to impose a “mandatory duty” on the Government to investigate UK soldiers and provide compensation to Iraqi victims.

It was rejected by the judge and then rejected again on appeal to the House of Lords in 2007.

Four years later, judges at the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the ECHR applied in occupied Iraq, but the Prime Minister was no longer involved at that stage, according to The Telegraph.

Shadow Defense Secretary James Cartlidge told the newspaper that the Prime Minister “puts international law above our nation’s interests”.

He said: “This leaves no doubt that Keir Starmer is fighting – pro bono – to extend the ECtHR’s jurisdiction to the British Armed Forces in Iraq.

“It is not befitting of No. 10 to try to deny something that is on the legal record.”

The government has already faced strong opposition over its plans to repeal immunity provisions in Northern Ireland’s old legislation; this could result in British Army veterans facing prosecution for their behavior during the Troubles.

Both the Conservatives and the UK Reform Party harshly criticized the proposals, which also sparked anger among legacy groups.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “As the Prime Minister made clear last week, he will never forget the bravery, bravery and sacrifice made by British servicemen and women for their country.

“Throughout his career the Prime Minister has represented British soldiers killed and wrongly accused in action.

“The Prime Minister did not represent the plaintiffs in this case. He represented the interveners. The duty of the intervener is not to defend either side, but to assist the court in legal matters.

“The Prime Minister did not intervene in the subsequent case heard at the European Court of Human Rights.”