Starmer's Chutzpah

On Starmer's response to the UN about his government targeting journalists and activists who write and resist against genocide.

This week British Prime Minister Sir Keir Rodney Starmer finally responded to a letter from four Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations - dated 4 December 2024 - that raised concern about the British government’s “misapplication of counter-terrorism laws against journalists and activists,” which “target legitimate freedom of expression and opinion…and political dissent or activism.”

The letter named journalists, academics and activists, including Kit Klarenberg, Richard Medhurst and the co-founder of direct organisation Palestine Action, Richard Barnard, including details of their detentions, arrests and the confiscation of their property by British police.

The four human rights experts wrote about the abuse of police powers at British ports where some of the journalists had been detained, and of the “misuse”of the state’s vague terrorism legislation which could “have a serious chilling effect on the media, civil society and legitimate political and public discourse.”

They questioned, “how the application of counter-terrorism laws against the activists and journalists is consistent with international human rights law,” sought to understand what measures were being “taken to prevent the misapplication of counter-terrorism laws,” lest they violate “freedom of expression,” and requested an update “on the retention of data taken,” from the journalists, as well as information on the “criminal investigations.”

The letter concluded with request for a response in 60 days, saying that beyond this time, the letter - and any response - would be made public.

The British government did not respond within the time allocated and the letter was published in February 2025.

Starmer’s response, six months after the letter was sent, stated it would be “inappropriate” to comment on the individuals named because proceedings against them were ongoing. He said the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and courts were independent of the government and that:

It is vital that these institutions can carry out their duties, and make decisions, free from political influence, including the influence of international organisations. The individuals involved have the right to a fair trial and it is imperative that this right is protected, including from interference by the Government and international organisations

The letter amounted to the British government telling the United Nations’ experts on human rights to keep out of our business!

Starmer’s letter comes after information came to light about the potential collusion of multiple state organisations involved in the persecution of journalists and activists and the Israeli embassy in London.

A month earlier, it was revealed that Nicola Smith from Attorney General Richard Hermer’s office - in a heavily redacted email obtained from a Freedom of Information Act request - wrote to the British deputy ambassador to Israel Daniela Ekstein, sharing contact details of the CPS (who would be in charge of prosecuting journalists and activists facing terrorism charges) and London’s Counter Terror Police Unit (known as SO15, who are behind the raids, detainment and arrests).

The entire email is redacted, but it did reveal the first name of the Israeli embassy worker who the letter was addressed to, and the subject of the email, which states:

2024.09.09 Nicola Smith to Israelis re CPS/SO15 contact details

The timing of the email to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs shortly before and after journalists and other critics of Israel’s genocide were facing state persecution suggests that the Attorney General’s office - who Starmer called “independent,” - is liaising with and acting on behalf of the Israeli government to instigate criminal proceedings against those who stand against genocide in Britain.

The objectivity of Attorney General Richard Hermer, too, is questionable, since after taking on his position in July 2024, he shared with The Jewish Chronicle that he has “dear family members currently serving in the IDF.”

Hermer also claims to be “cognisant of the importance of international law,” but this seemingly did not apply when he rejected an application from multiple British legal organisations requesting an arrest warrant for Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar during his unannounced visit to Britain last month, for his role in war crimes in Gaza.

The objectivity of the police is also questionable as activists have recorded police appearing to take instruction from Zionist agitators at demonstrations for Palestine and who have subsequently been arrested. I previously wrote of this happening to London-based activist Yael Kahn, who was arrested on a separate occasion after Zionist agitators were seen speaking to police, which raises the questions; who do the police serve? Who do they protect?

British Media Complicity

Mainstream media has been alarmingly silent about the ongoing attacks by the state against those reporting against the genocide, as well as on the United Nations’ letter to Starmer’s government.

When a caller to LBC Radio spoke about the police targeting journalists, when the detention of Richard Medhurst at Heathrow airport was mentioned, host Nick Ferrari became agitated, swiftly cut the caller off and accused him of making “lurid claims,” adding, “We cannot be seen to be knowingly putting out some kind of falsehood or misrepresentation.” Ferrari also said the claims of journalists facing state persecution for reporting on genocide were “inflammatory,” (rather than the persecution itself).

On May 19 2025, journalist Matt Kennard reported that the DSMA-Notice - a policy the government uses to censor stories it claims may jeopardise “national security” and more commonly known as a ‘D-Notice’ - had encompassed counter-terrorism policing as of November 2024. Kennard asks if this is why the media is silent on the ongoing attacks against British citizens opposed to genocide, adding “Are they obeying censorship orders from British intelligence?”

In October 2024, shortly after the attacks against journalists named above as well as Sarah Wilkinson and Asa Winstanley, took place, Starmer wrote an article in The Guardian titled: “Journalism is the lifeblood of British democracy. My government will protect it.” He wrote he would “champion press freedoms,” and stand “with journalists who endure threats merely for doing their jobs.” He also stated there were “no direct threats to press freedoms in our country,” describing threats to journalists as “intolerable.”

Quite!