‘Lawyer Gives Legal Advice’: Keir Starmer Defends Legal Career When Pressed On Defending Extremists

Sir Keir Starmer explained the basics of legal representation, even for criminals and terrorists, and defended his legal record after The Sun’s political editor Harry Cole rounded again on the Labour leader’s past career as a lawyer.

The testy interaction came on the first ever episode of newspaper’s new online show Never Mind The Ballots, which aired Thursday night hosted by Cole, with Starmer as his first ever guest.

During the ranging conversation, Cole seized the opportunity to revisit the premise of an article written by him in January which accused the opposition leader of aiding “baby-killers and axe murderers” during his legal career.

Cole pointed to major cases that Starmer had been involved in, dealing with extremist groups and Al-Qaeda terrorists. In his defence, Starmer questioned Cole’s point within the context of a legal system where everyone has a right to representation. He emphasised the indiscriminate nature of engaging in work for clients, comparing a lawyer’s duties to those provided by a doctor with a patient.

Starmer: “I was a lawyer before that, and in the legal world, particularly if you’re doing criminal law, you represent people you don’t agree with.”

Cole: “OK, but you chose to represent the terrorist group.”

Starmer: “No, no, no, Harry, come on. You know how it works in our legal system. It is very important that everybody is represented. If you’re putting to me that you want to take that away, or you think it’s a good idea…”

Cole: “I’m just asking whether you regret any of these people you represented.”

Starmer: “It used to be a sort of basic tenet of Conservative Party philosophy that our legal system was fair, where people would help.”

Cole: “Choosing to defend [Islamic terrorist group] Hizb ut-Tahrir in the European Court of Human Rights, to stop them being banned from Germany, did you take money for that?”

Starmer: “Yes, it was a case where I was asked for… I didn’t actually represent them in court.”

Cole: “You advised their case in court? You contributed to their legal defence?”

Starmer: “Lawyer gives legal advice.”

Cole: “Yeah, to terrorists.”

Starmer: “That was my job. Doctor treats patient.”

Cole: “All right, what about al-Qaeda terrorists, Abu Qatada, to help them get more welfare benefits? Do you regret that one?”

Starmer: “As a lawyer, you are taking cases within your field of specialism, whether you agree with the client or not. Of course I don’t agree with these people, but that doesn’t adjust the principle that in our legal system, we have representation of both sides. And if you took that away, if you conducted this interview with a Crown Court judge, and suggested that certain people should not have legal representation they would say: ‘You’re out of your mind, you’re going to ruin the criminal justice system and you’re going to make the backlog ten times longer than it is now.’”

Cole: “Let me give you one more. Al-Fawaz, Al-Qaeda’s spokesman in the UK, wanted in the US for helping to plot with bin Laden. You tried to stop him being extradited.”

Starmer: “You’re giving different examples. The principle is exactly the same.”

Cole: “No regrets?”

Starmer: “Lawyer gives legal advice.”

Cole: “Your head’s hit the pillow one night, you’ve never thought, ‘oh, I wish I hadn’t done that one.’”

Starmer: “But look, lawyers represent clients. Doctors treat patients. The fact a doctor treats a patient doesn’t mean the doctor agrees with what the patient’s beliefs are.”

Cole: “You can see why people are a bit squeamish about it.”

Starmer: “I think you should test them, Harry, and say…”

Cole: “These are their suggestions.”

Starmer: “No, you should test people and say, do you really want a legal system where some people are simply unrepresented? Do you actually think it would help our legal system?”

Watch the full interview on The Sun’s YouTube channel.