Starmer defends acting on behalf of banned terrorist group

Sir Keir Starmer represented Hizb ut-Tahrir, which was banned in January 2008. Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images Europe

Sir Keir Starmer defended providing legal advice to a proscribed terrorist group in 2008, saying it was “very important that everyone is represented.”

Labour Party leader acted on behalf of the Islamist organization Hizb ut-Tahrir. , as it sought to overturn a German ban on its activities.

The Telegraph reported in December that Sir Keir had lodged an application with the European Court of Human Rights in June 2008, a year after the Conservatives — then those in opposition began to demand a ban on Hizb ut-Tahrir.

In an interview with The Sun on Thursday, Sir Keir defended his actions, confirming he was paid to protect the group and noting he had also prosecuted terrorists.

He said: “I was chief prosecutor for five years. Together with my team, I investigated almost a million cases a year, including terrorists, murderers and drug traffickers.

“Before this, I was a lawyer, and in the legal world, especially if you practice criminal law, you represent people you disagree with. You know how it works in our legal system — it's important that everyone is represented.»

Sir Keir also compared his role in the case to that of a doctor, explaining that «lawyers give legal advice.» , just like “doctors treat patients.”

The Ministry of Internal Affairs banned Hizb ut-Tahrir in January this of the year. Photo: Matthew Chuttle/Future Publishing via Getty Images

In January, the Home Office banned Hizb ut-Tahrir, with Home Secretary James Cleverley calling the group «an anti-Semitic organization that actively promotes and encourages terrorism.»

Hizb ut-Tahrir's goal is to unite Muslims the whole world within one Islamic caliphate. It has been linked to violence in several states and is banned in more than 10 countries, including Muslim-majority countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan.

For months Sir Keir has been criticized for actions taken on his behalf. The issue has been raised repeatedly by Rishi Sunak, who first used it as an argument to attack Prime Minister's Questions in January.

The Labor leader also responded to claims that he failed to lock up Jimmy Savile while leading him . Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

He was head of the CPS when it decided not to prosecute Savile, who died in 2011, in 2009. Soon after, it emerged that Savile was a frequent sex offender.

Sir Keir told The Sun that Savile's case was «weaponized» by former prime minister Boris Johnson, who accused him in 2022 of failing to convict Savile.

Shortly afterwards, the Labor leader was surrounded by a crowd outside parliament. He later said: “You heard Boris Johnson tell me that. You saw what happened on the street just a few weeks later when there was an incident where people came up to me as a direct result of what he said.»