Lord Hermer's ‘Nazi jibe' at Reform won't work
It is an axiom of political debate that once you compare your opponents to Hitler's Nazis you have definitely lost the argument. That golden rule seems to have escaped the notice of the Attorney General Lord Hermer, who, in a speech to the Royal Institute for International Affairs (RUSI) defence think tank did just that.
Hermer, a close friend and fellow human rights lawyer colleague of Sir Keir Starmer, told RUSI that both Nigel Farage's Reform UK and Kemi Badenoch's Tories were echoing Nazi ideology that placed national law above international agreements with their threats to withdraw Britain from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR):
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Scotsman
As German far-right praises Starmer, Scotland needs its own immigration system
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Prime Minister's speech on immigration this week was as disgraceful as it was misleading. Summoning the spirit of Enoch Powell – not because they share a political philosophy, but rather because the Prime Minister mistakenly thinks it's what people want – Labour's Keir Starmer warned of Britain becoming 'an island of strangers', inviting suspicion and division at a time when, after 14 years of Conservative drift, the UK clearly needs leadership, transformation and purpose. It was a predictably tone-deaf speech that took all the wrong lessons from the English local government elections. There will be only one winner here: Nigel Farage. No wonder the member for Clacton stood up in the Commons chamber this week and said he 'very much enjoyed' the Prime Minister's speech and that Starmer had 'learnt a great deal' from Reform UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Immigration is not a problem to be solved, but a solution to be embraced. That is not to say we cannot hear, listen to and understand differing views on immigration – a democratic society demands that we must, as differing views are a fact of political life. But for a Labour Prime Minister to pick up where the most migrant hostile Conservative government finished, and continue to present migrants as burdens or threats, is as politically bankrupt as it economically illiterate. Keir Starmer announced new measures to reduce immigration earlier this week (Picture: Ian Vogler/WPA pool) | Getty Images Critical issue for Scotland It was the strongest sign yet that the government has given up on its mission of achieving economic growth – something that no administration can hope to achieve with an immigration system designed to keep foreigners at bay, or outside the EU for that matter. For Scotland in particular, this is a critical issue for our economic prosperity and the resilience of our public services – particularly our NHS, social care, agriculture and hospitality industries. Our population is ageing faster than the UK average. In rural areas in particular, our problem isn't one of immigration but of emigration; communities are shrinking, with local services and local businesses under strain because of depopulation. Key industries are in a constant battle to find the workers they need. This is not a theoretical future risk; it is a current and urgent crisis across Scotland, and one that was only made worse by the loss of freedom of movement within the EU. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Yet despite these obvious challenges in Scotland, UK immigration policy, whether set by a red or blue administration, has nothing positive on offer. In fact, it is evidently about to get worse, as the system becomes more hostile and remains rigidly centralised and wholly unresponsive to Scotland's needs. Devolving immigration Any Scottish MP worth their salt understands that it is their job to stand up for Scotland's interests at Westminster. That is why I have brought forward legislation to devolve power over immigration from Westminster to Edinburgh – a rational, practical proposal that would give Scotland's parliament the powers to tailor immigration rules in line with our national needs and circumstances. This is not a radical departure from international norms: Canada and Australia already grant significant immigration powers at the state and provincial level, to best respond to local economic and labour needs. With the devolution of immigration law, Scotland could introduce targeted schemes to support rural repopulation and address labour shortages. We could reopen Scotland to the European talent we have lost and build a system rooted in dignity, cementing our reputation as a country that welcomes people, not simply content to be the northern province of Fortress Britannia. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Such policies can work, and we know they would make a materially positive impact to our country. When we still enjoyed freedom of movement, communities across Scotland – particularly rural Scotland – were strengthened and made more resilient by the arrival of other Europeans from across our continent. They opened businesses, staffed care homes, and brought life to towns and villages facing decline. The farming industry benefited from seasonal workers whose absence is now acutely felt. The NHS, and particularly social care, has long relied on staff from overseas – a reliance that will only grow in the years ahead. German nationalists approve Scotland, like the rest of the UK, has benefited enormously from immigration. That is not something we should mutter about apologetically but embrace as one of our key successes. Migrants are our friends, neighbours, colleagues – and, increasingly, our lifeline. They do not make us a country of strangers. They make our country stronger. That is something I still believe in, even if Keir Starmer no longer does. The PM needs to reflect on the fact that he was called out for his comments by former child refugee Lord Alf Dubs, and praised by the Putin-sympathising German nationalists, Alternative für Deutschland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad That is not the company I would want to keep. The PM's grotesque attempt to weaponise migrants for political gain is destined to fail. Nobody who recalls the Keir Starmer of just a few years ago – pro-EU, pro-freedom of movement and pro-immigration – will be convinced by his attempt to imitate Nigel Farage. Driving voters towards Farage The Prime Minister is free to risk and ruin his own reputation as he so wishes – he has been thoroughly exposed as willing to say whatever he thinks voters want to hear – but he has no mandate to sign Scotland up to a future of economic decline that is hostile to those who do us the honour of building a life here. It is not strangers Scotland should fear, but stagnation in our economy and living standards. That is what's driving hordes of angry voters into the hands of Nigel Farage – a man who offers no solution to the challenges we face. We must make the case for immigration with clarity and with courage – not only as an economic necessity, but as a reflection of the kind of country we aspire to be. If Keir Starmer will not lead on this issue, then I know that John Swinney will.
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
BRIAN READE: ‘Haters may try to divide us but they can never conquer our spirit'
WITH the shocked and injured still strewn across Water Street, the lies began to spew. Without a thought for the fate of dozens of casualties hit by a driver at Liverpool's trophy parade, or the fears of hundreds of thousands of others who knew loved ones were present, the immigrant-haters, far-right trolls and conspiracy theorists frantically pushed their agenda on social media as they declared it a terrorist incident. Tommy Robinson's X account called it 'suspected terror attack,' high-profile Reform UK supporter Ant Middleton deemed it a 'terrible terror-type incident' and warned: 'Do not believe anything that comes from police statements or the msm.' The leader of the British First Party, Paul Golding, fired off four posts headlined 'POSSIBLE TERROR ATTACK' while dozens more raged about uncontrolled Islamism, diversity destroying the West, Britain getting what it deserves due to opening its borders… and on and on the cesspit seethed. They were all ignorant of the truth and all extremely dangerous. And what's worse they knew it. Which was why Merseyside Police, recalling what happened last summer in Southport, rushed out the news that the alleged perpetrator was a 53-year-old white, British man. Which only further triggered the trolls as they demanded to know why the 'two-tier' police had mentioned his ethnicity. Is it because he was white, they asked? No. It's because you knuckle-scraping keyboard warriors had left them fearing another riot. But something else was happening on social media platforms in the aftermath of Monday's incident, when transport was closed down in the ensuing chaos, leaving thousands of people who had travelled to Liverpool for the celebrations, stranded. Locals were offering their phones to those without power, lifts to other towns and their spare bedrooms for those with nowhere to sleep. Nathan Johnson, along with two friends, drove 26 people to different parts of the UK and arranged rides for many others. When, in the following days, the grateful recipients offered him petrol money, he told them to donate it to food banks. John and Kerri Davies, who run J&K Travel, called in staff, mobilised four minibuses and spent six hours transporting more than 400 people across the Mersey to the Wirral, and would not take payment. Oli Fountain was one of dozens offering somewhere to stay for the night, posting on X: 'Anyone stuck in town who can't get home give me a dm, have 2 sofas people can crash on, can put the kettle on and get people warm at least.' People turned up at Lime Street railway station with food and drinks, taxi drivers offered free lifts and hospital staff abandoned their bank holiday plans and went into work. This, along with the swift actions of the emergency services, was the real story of the human response amid Monday's panic. This is the real truth about people in this country, especially in my home city of Liverpool. That most are a font of goodness who want to unite communities not divide them. The individuals and political organisations who shout loudest about being the true patriots among us are often cowardly traitors consumed with prejudice. The real patriots are those who get on with helping others without caring what colour or race they are. As the aftermath of Monday's horror showed: Heroes don't always wear capes, but villains always wear their keyboards out with hate.
BBC News
8 hours ago
- BBC News
Branston Bridge could reopen within weeks after repair work
Work to repair a bridge in Staffordshire which has been shut for six months could be completed within weeks, according to the local Bridge near Burton-on-Trent was closed for safety reasons after some lorry drivers ignored weight restrictions, causing structural County Council said work was progressing well on repairing the bridge – parts of which are more than 186 years old – but there had been unexpected said some services had to be diverted, replaced or worked around, meaning the work programme had to be extended. Completion is currently scheduled for 10 July, but this may change if other issues are found with the bridge or if weather conditions slow things down."When excavating for the works, and at the crown of the bridge, the crew are working with only a few courses of old bricks between them and the live railway below," said Peter Mason, cabinet member for strategic highways on the Reform UK-controlled authority."It is important that they ensure they allow concrete to cure and strengthen fully as each stage of the works progress, and one reason why these works are perceived to be taking time to complete."We will not put pressure on crews to take unnecessary risks just for a speedy outcome."He added: "Although the weather has been kind so far, this is another factor that could result in the work having to continue beyond 10 July."On the other hand, if we don't encounter any more issues, work could finish ahead of schedule." Crews are beginning installation of a concrete saddle to reinforce the the concrete has reached the required strength, work would begin to install temporary supports for a live water main, they the final layer of concrete has been cast, drainage will be installed at each end, kerbing and paving laid, brickwork repointed and the road equipment which has been recording the movement of the structure would continue, the council said. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
