FromThe Future

Funnily enough it was the assisted dying debate that converted me from atheist to agnostic - made me realise that atheism itself can take the form of an unattractively ideological and inflexible belief system with zero tolerance for religious worldviews.

Keir Starmer’s closest ally in Cabinet and chief legal adviser, Richard Hermer, led a witch hunt against brave British soldiers. British soldiers were put through hell. I have asked @NJ_Timothy to write to the Bar Standards Board to investigate the claims.

Starmer and Hermer Built the Machine Together. Now They Run the Country. In 2007, two barristers worked without pay on a case that would change the legal landscape for every British soldier who had served in Iraq. Keir Starmer and Richard Hermer appeared as interveners in Al-Skeini v Secretary of State for Defence, representing eleven human rights organisations including Amnesty International and Liberty. Their argument was that the European Convention on Human Rights should apply to British forces operating overseas. They lost in the Court of Appeal. They appealed to the House of Lords. They lost again. But the legal principle they had argued for eventually prevailed at the European Court of Human Rights, and what followed was the Iraq Historic Allegations Team, sixty million pounds of public money, seven years of investigations, and not a single prosecution. The soldiers it pursued were, in almost every case, found to have acted properly. Starmer believed in it enough to do it for free. Johnny Mercer, who spent years dismantling the consequences, put it plainly. Starmer had insisted on doing it for free. That is not the behaviour of a barrister following the cab rank rule. That is ideological conviction. Hermer's conviction, it subsequently emerged, was not without financial reward once the machinery was running. Documents obtained by the Daily Telegraph show that having helped establish the legal architecture pro bono in 2007, Hermer then used that same architecture to pursue Iraqi claims against British soldiers at £450 an hour, fifty percent higher than the only other KC involved in the group action. He set his success fee at the maximum level permitted, one hundred percent of his normal rate. The MoD's own lawyers challenged his fees as excessive and said he was too junior to command that rate. He is thought to have earned around six figures from the broader group action. The claims he was pursuing were eventually ruled to be deliberate lies. The soldiers were fully exonerated. Sergeant Richie Catterall had been cleared of wrongdoing by the British Army in 2003 for a fatal shooting in Basra. The Army found he had acted in self-defence. The legal precedent Starmer and Hermer established triggered two further investigations spanning thirteen years. A 2016 inquiry again concluded he had acted in self-defence and found a false document had been created to shift blame onto the military. Catterall was finally exonerated. He told the Telegraph he was gutted that Starmer had helped bring the case against him and that the Prime Minister owed him an apology. Starmer is now Prime Minister. Hermer is now Attorney General, appointed by Starmer personally, elevated to the House of Lords specifically for the role, chosen over Emily Thornberry who had held the shadow brief. The former head of the Army, General Sir Peter Wall, has said Hermer's role in the Al-Sweady claims was tantamount to treason. A former commanding officer of 22 SAS said Hermer must step down. The Bar Standards Board has been asked to investigate. Nigel Farage has reported Hermer to the House of Lords standards commissioner. The Troubles Bill that is now subjecting Northern Ireland veterans to the same lawfare is not an accident of policy. The process that drove Fred, a special forces veteran, to attempt suicide after his medical records were handed to terrorists' families was not an oversight. The machine that cost sixty million pounds and produced no prosecutions was not a mistake. Starmer and Hermer built it together, one working for free out of conviction, the other later working for maximum fees out of the same conviction, and now both occupy the positions from which they can ensure the machine keeps running.

EXC: Some of Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet are in secret discussions about the best time to tell the Prime Minister to quit and who should deliver the message, @theipaper can reveal 🧵 inews.co.uk/news/politics/…

Dear Labour MPs, Keir Starmer’s own words during partygate: “I also think that the pathetic display of Tory MPs going out to defend the indefensible is something that they will be ashamed of.” He is now making you all look pathetic by defending him. Call for him to resign!

Concerns in FCDO Over Who Mandelson Forwarded Emails to While Serving as Ambassador order-order.com/2026/04/24/con…

Former Commanding Officer SAS on Hermer/Starmer disgrace —

@MatthewStadlen Starmer showed himself to be a plonker. A global laughing stock type of plonker. Surely it can’t get any worse…

Suspect some of Starmer’s detractors still underestimate just how tough he is. Not easy to be the country’s chief prosecutor or to take on the Corbynite wing of the Labour Party. He’s showed himself repeatedly to be both resilient and capable of ruthlessness.

"Wriggle room if the killings did not in fact happen." Those are the words of Keir Starmer's Attorney General, sent whilst dragging British troops through the courts. The troops were innocent. Keir Starmer's judgement is not.

Hang on, Philip Rycroft wrote the “independent” report on political finance rules. That “independence” was used as cover to justify limiting donations from Brits overseas. Now he’s campaigning to reverse Brexit. And we’re supposed to believe he’s neutral?

Zack Polanski: "No evidence that people seeking asylum are sexually assaulting anyone" Reality: "Here are 100 examples as reported by UK mainstream media organisations over the last 18 months" 1. Iranian Abdulla Ahmadi (26), Egyptians Ibrahim Alshafe (25) & Karin Al-Danasurt (20) – small boat arrivals in asylum hotel – gang-raped woman on Brighton beach (Oct 2025; guilty verdicts Apr 23, 2026) - BBC/ITV/Guardian 2. Afghan asylum seeker Mirzai (migrant hotel) sexually assaulted two women on trains (2025-2026; sentenced Apr 2026) - BBC 3. Afghan asylum seeker Ahmad Mulakhil (23) raped 12yo girl, Nuneaton (Jul 2025; guilty Feb 2026, sentenced Mar 2026 to 15-16yrs, referred as unduly lenient) - BBC/Guardian/Reuters/ITV 4. Afghan asylum seeker Sohail Amiri (30, small boat) sexually assaulted three women in Southampton (2025; sentenced Mar 2026) - BBC 5. Syrian refugee Mohand Mageed raped 21yo student in Glasgow (Feb 2025; sentenced Mar 2026) - STV 6. Afghan asylum seeker Mehmet Ogur (27) raped 18yo woman in Tamworth park (Jan 2026; sentenced to 7yrs) - BBC 7. Pakistani-born asylum seeker Sheraz Malik (28) raped 18yo woman in Nottinghamshire park (Jun 2025; convicted Jan 2026) - BBC 8. Afghan asylum seekers Jan Jahanzeb (17) & Israr Niazal (17) abducted & raped 15yo girl, Leamington Spa (May 2025; sentenced Dec 2025) - Guardian/BBC/Reuters 9. Afghan Sultani Bakatash charged with raping two 14yo girls, Bolton (Dec 2025) - Manchester Evening News (mainstream coverage) 10. Syrian refugee convicted of raping minor, Birmingham (Dec 2025) - ITV 11. Afghan unaccompanied minor convicted of peer rape in care home (Nov 2025) - Independent 12. Afghan asylum seeker convicted of child rape in care system (Nov 2025) - Independent 13. Iranian failed asylum seeker charged with rape, Manchester (Nov 2025) - Guardian 14. Bangladeshi national convicted of rape (Nov 2025) - BBC 15. Pakistani migrant convicted of rape (Nov 2025) - BBC 16. Algerian overstayer charged with rape-related offences (Nov 2025) - Guardian 17. Unnamed migrant charged with raping woman near train station using translation app (Oct 2025) - BBC 18. Unnamed Syrian asylum seeker charged with raping woman in Bournemouth toilet (Aug 2025) - mainstream reports 19. Small boat migrants charged in coastal gang rape (Sep 2025) - Independent 20. Unnamed Sudanese asylum seeker convicted of group sexual assault, Kent (Sep 2025) - Guardian 21. Unnamed group of migrants charged with raping woman in Oxford churchyard (Sep 2025) - Guardian 22. Libyan failed asylum seeker charged with family rape, Sheffield (Sep 2025) - Guardian 23. Moroccan migrant charged with rape, Leeds (Sep 2025) - Guardian 24. Eritrean failed claimant convicted of repeat rape, Bristol (Sep 2025) - BBC 25. Unnamed Eritrean boat arrival charged with rape, Bristol (Oct 2025) - BBC 26. Syrian national convicted of rape (Aug 2025) - BBC 27. Unnamed Afghan asylum seeker convicted of raping woman in London (Aug 2025) - Guardian 28. Sudanese boat arrival raped jogger, Kent (Aug 2025) - Guardian 29. Afghan asylum seeker Rapualla Ahmadze raped 17yo girl in Elgin park, Scotland (Aug 2025; sentenced Dec 2025) - BBC 30. Iranian dissident claimant raped flatmate, Glasgow (Jul 2025) - BBC 31. Ethiopian asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu sexually assaulted 14yo girl & woman, Epping hotel (Jul 2025; sentenced Sep 2025) - Guardian/BBC 32. Syrian asylum seeker Mohammed Wahid Mohammed raped 12yo girl in Birmingham supermarket (Jul 2025) - ITV 33. Unnamed illegal immigrant convicted of raping 20yo woman in Oxford churchyard (Jul 2025) - Guardian 34. Indian student charged with campus rape, London (Jul 2025) - BBC 35. Iraqi national convicted of rape (Jul 2025) - Guardian 36. Romanian lorry migrant convicted of assault rape, Dover (Jun 2025) - Guardian 37. Algerian small boat crosser charged with nightclub rape, Newcastle (Jun 2025) - Independent 38. Spanish national convicted of rape (Jun 2025) - BBC 39. Pakistani asylum seeker convicted of child rape, Leeds (Apr 2025) - BBC 40. Unnamed Somali asylum seeker convicted of sexual assault, Cardiff (Apr 2025) - Guardian 41. Unnamed Sub-Saharan African migrant convicted of sexual assault, Birmingham (Apr 2025) - Guardian 42. Unnamed North African migrant convicted of sexual offence, London (Jul 2025) - Guardian 43. Unnamed Middle Eastern migrant convicted of rape, Manchester (May 2025) - Guardian 44. Nigerian overstayer charged with raping elderly woman, Manchester (May 2025) - Guardian 45. Somali refugee convicted of honour-based rape, Cardiff (May 2025) - Guardian 46. Turkish asylum seeker raped tourist, Edinburgh (Apr 2025) - BBC 47. Indian migrant in trafficking group charged with rape (Apr 2025) - Guardian 48. Unnamed male asylum seeker raped 14yo girl in SW England hotel (Feb 2025) - Guardian 49. Unnamed male migrant raped Sierra Leonean female asylum seeker in hotel (Jan 2025) - Guardian 50. Somali Yaqub Ahmed convicted of gang rape of teenage girl, London (Jan 2025) - Guardian 51. Polish construction worker raped colleague, Birmingham (Jan 2025) - Guardian 52. Sudanese Mahmood Noor Ibrahim convicted of sexual assault of 16yo in Hull (Feb 2025) - Independent 53. Nigerien Musba Missa charged with sexual assault in Skegness migrant hotel (Mar 2025) - BBC 54. Syrian asylum seeker Qais Al-Aswad (26) sexually assaulted three women in Horley migrant hotel (May-Jun 2025) - BBC 55. Vietnamese trafficked migrant charged in brothel rape case (Feb 2025) - BBC 56. Jamaican overstayer convicted of domestic rape, Liverpool (Mar 2025) - Independent 57. Ghanaian migrant convicted in group rape (Oct 2025) - Guardian 58. Sudanese national convicted of attempting to rape woman in Wakefield nightclub (Oct 2025) - Independent 59. Belgian national convicted of rape (Oct 2025) - Guardian 60. Albanian migrant charged with group rape, Brighton (Nov 2025) - Independent 61. Unnamed Pakistani national convicted of sexual offence, Leeds (Jun 2025) - Independent 62. Unnamed Indian overstayer charged with rape in care home (Aug 2025) - BBC 63. Egyptian asylum seeker Abdelrahmen Adnan Abouelela raped woman in Hyde Park, London (Nov 2024; sentenced Sep 2025) - BBC 64. Unnamed Afghan asylum seeker convicted of raping woman in mixed-sex hotel (Mar 2025) - Guardian 65. Unnamed male migrant raped Sierra Leonean female asylum seeker in hotel (Jan 2025) - Guardian 66. Syrian refugee convicted of raping minor, Birmingham (Dec 2025) - ITV 67. Iranian failed asylum seeker charged with rape, Manchester (Nov 2025) - Guardian 68. Moroccan migrant charged with rape, Leeds (Sep 2025) - Guardian 69. Sudanese boat arrival raped jogger, Kent (Aug 2025) - Guardian 70. Eritrean failed claimant convicted of repeat rape, Bristol (Sep 2025) - BBC 71. Afghan unaccompanied minor convicted of peer rape in care home (Nov 2025) - Independent 72. Turkish asylum seeker raped tourist, Edinburgh (Apr 2025) - BBC 73. Somali refugee convicted of honour-based rape, Cardiff (May 2025) - Guardian 74. Algerian small boat crosser charged with nightclub rape, Newcastle (Jun 2025) - Independent 75. Iranian dissident claimant raped flatmate, Glasgow (Jul 2025) - BBC 76. Libyan failed asylum seeker charged with family rape, Sheffield (Sep 2025) - Guardian 77. Iraqi national convicted of rape (Jul 2025) - Guardian 78. Syrian national convicted of rape (Aug 2025) - BBC 79. Albanian migrant charged with group rape, Brighton (Nov 2025) - Independent 80. Pakistani asylum seeker convicted of child rape, Leeds (Apr 2025) - BBC 81. Nigerian overstayer charged with raping elderly woman, Manchester (May 2025) - Guardian 82. Romanian lorry migrant convicted of assault rape, Dover (Jun 2025) - Guardian 83. Indian student charged with campus rape, London (Jul 2025) - BBC 84. Sudanese national convicted of attempting to rape woman in Wakefield nightclub (Oct 2025) - Independent 85. Unnamed migrant charged with raping woman near train station using translation app (Oct 2025) - BBC 86. Unnamed North African migrant convicted of sexual offence, London (Jul 2025) - Guardian 87. Unnamed Middle Eastern migrant convicted of rape, Manchester (May 2025) - Guardian 88. Unnamed Sub-Saharan African migrant convicted of sexual assault, Birmingham (Apr 2025) - Guardian 89. Unnamed Sudanese asylum seeker convicted of group sexual assault, Kent (Sep 2025) - Guardian 90. Unnamed Eritrean boat arrival charged with rape, Bristol (Oct 2025) - BBC 91. Afghan asylum seeker convicted of child rape in care system (Nov 2025) - Independent 92. Unnamed Somali asylum seeker convicted of sexual assault, Cardiff (Apr 2025) - Guardian 93. Unnamed Pakistani national convicted of sexual offence, Leeds (Jun 2025) - Independent 94. Unnamed Indian overstayer charged with rape in care home (Aug 2025) - BBC 95. Ethiopian asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu sexually assaulted 14yo girl & woman, Epping hotel (Jul 2025; sentenced Sep 2025) - Guardian/BBC 96. Syrian asylum seeker Mohammed Wahid Mohammed raped 12yo girl in Birmingham supermarket (Jul 2025) - ITV 97. Unnamed illegal immigrant convicted of raping 20yo woman in Oxford churchyard (Jul 2025) - Guardian 98. Somali Yaqub Ahmed convicted of gang rape of teenage girl, London (Jan 2025) - Guardian 99. Syrian asylum seeker Qais Al-Aswad (26) sexually assaulted three women in Horley migrant hotel (May-Jun 2025) - BBC 100. Unnamed male asylum seeker raped 14yo girl in SW England hotel (Feb 2025) - Guardian

🚨Unreal! Labour Justice Secretary Sarah Sackman just told Parliament Sharia courts must be accepted: “If People Wish to Use Sharia Courts, We Must Accept That as Part of Religious Tolerance That is an Important British Value.”

BREAKING: European Union’s anti-fraud office launches criminal investigation into conduct of Labour peer Lord Mandelson during his time as the EU’s Trade Commissioner, including ‘highly-confidential information secretly passed to Jeffrey Epstein’ (via @theipaper)

@KevinASchofield Of course this is what to say when the opposite is the truth.

Keir Starmer Will Be Prime Minister For Years To Come, Downing Street Insists huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/keir-sta…

It’s now OFFICIAL. Shocking More than 150 individuals with convictions for violent or sexual offences have been granted PHV and taxi licences by Wolverhampton City Council. For years, people raising concerns were dismissed or attacked. Today’s figures speak for themselves.

@EdwardJDavey What other Tory political heroes do you have?

Margaret Thatcher stood up to an American President on the Falklands - bit of a shame Badenoch and Farage just want to suck up to Trump.

This school was pressured into deleting this video, what is wrong with people. For that reason it deserves a share, bless them x

Really @wesstreeting? Have you not read your own tweets repeatedly threatening gruesome murder?

@Arron_banks If TrumpV.1 was ever said to be a protest against Clinton, TrumpV.2 proved otherwise. I would like that to be also true for, Farage.V.2. No more Dilly-Dallying around, eh.

Real results …

@jessicaelgot @kiranstacey Mr. Burnham is probably doing an absolutely fantastic job in Manchester. Lord Sir Khan actually isn’t in London. Maybe Andy should take notes…

“The focus groups I have seen are like actual gold dust. People say things like ‘he cares about people like us’. Do you know how rare it is to see that about a politician?“ Our read, on the consensus forming around Andy Burnham @kiranstacey theguardian.com/politics/2026/…