To think that Musk is now overstepping himself and the UK gvt should threaten action

Ok - yes, I've read both of your links. The letter to Boris Johnson and signed by Keir Starmer was sent in February 2020 (before he was elected Labour leader) - and the letter in your first link is dated November 2020 - after he was elected Labour leader. That makes sense.

I totally agree.

He was sentenced to 12 years in 2013 so probably not for those crimes.

He's got so many of you frothing at the mouth - how many threads do we need about this?

If you don't like what he says, maybe ignore it and don't look at his posts on X?

It annoys many of you, but because of him the Grooming scandal is now getting the media attention it deserves. Why on earth anyone wouldn't want justice for these women and children is beyond me. This doesn't need to be political

Elon is now supporting British farmers on Twitter. I’m now in a quandary 🤣🤣🤣

Is Henry in prison?

Bit of a non sequitur, Clav. What’s the relevance of who first raised The Letter - which was part of the article you linked to?

In fact it was you who first mentioned the letter in your reply to me - for some reason you found the article amusing. I only posted the Times headline; Keir Starmer ‘opposed’ expulsion of rapist Fabian Henry.

I see that Fabian Henry was mentioned in parliament in last year;

The right hon. and learned Gentleman [Starmer] also opposed the deportation of Fabian Henry, a foreign rapist who attacked a girl of 17 and abducted and sexually [assaulted] a 15-year-old. That is his record: when it came to putting people allegedly behind bars, he was busy working in the interests of those who very much undermine the safety of the young women and children of our country.

Actually I you read the article I just linked, it says that Starmer signed a letter to Boris Johnson, so that is probably the letter the Times referred to

Oh dear Clav. Did you not notice the signatories are alphabetical?

Ridiculous comment so far removed from truth it's pathetic.

Unless there was a supplementary page of signatures - or Starmer wanted the left-wing of his party to think he had signed the letter so he played along with it.

Absolutely spot on.

Someone’s shining a light on our corrupt af lethargic government. Good.

I work in an area of law which is better paid than crime (not a high bar....) but is still lower than most areas. I did quite a lot of crime when I was junior, but the pay is now so rubbish for such demanding and difficult work that I've done none for a decade.

I can't read the Times article you linked, that's why I asked. It is a different letter then.

I did find this more recent article
https://news.sky.com/story/the-windrush-backstory-to-starmers-campaign-to-let-foreign-criminals-stay-13271550

The decision to grant some people a reprieve was ultimately made by the courts.

I don't know - but if Keir Starmer has confessed to something he wasn't involved in then he's a fool.

Yes, lots of daily mail headlines about fat cat barristers (giving the income of commercial QCs) meant so many were thrilled to see funding and rated for legal aid cut but the consequences for justice are dire.

It takes a phenomenally civic minded barrister to still work on criminal trials (legal aid, prosecution or indeed as a judge) because the salary is a fraction of what they could earn in any other field. I know quite a few quite elderly barristers still working in this field just to stop the system falling apart even though they barely earn their train fare for doing so

Is this a different letter?

https://skwawkbox.org/2020/12/01/the-13-labour-front-benchers-including-starmer-who-did-not-sign-letter-to-patel-demanding-cancellation-of-windrush-deportation-flight/

Particularly for barristers on the RASSO lists (Rape And Serious Sexual Offences). Legal aid rates dropped in the 1990s in actual pound terms, and have fallen far, far behind inflation since then. Payment delays are ever longer - you can't even claim for prosecution or legal aid defence fees until after the trial and any sentencing proceedings. One junior criminal barrister I know recently got paid £100 (plus VAT!) for a hearing she did in 2020, because the case got delayed for so long. The hours are horrific, the work incredibly stressful and difficult to deal with, and the pay appalling. The link between actual pay and the amount of work done on a particular item or case is tenuous, too.

MargoLivebetter
you seem to be conflating various issues

I don't believe I was - I was making a comparison about responsibility. However, I see that Priti Patel accused Labour politicians and celebrities of conflating issues;

‘To see ill-informed Labour politicians and do-gooding celebrities attempting to conflate the victims of Windrush with these vile criminals set for deportation is not only misjudged and upsetting but deeply offensive.’

However, if you are going to point the finger at Kier Starmer, I guess you are also pointing the finger at the previous Director General of the CPS, Ken Macdonald 2003-2008

As head of the CPS during that time he obviously has to shoulder some responsibility.

It's Keir Starmer by the way.

Apologies if this has already been posted.

Austerity has also been a factor in trails not coming forward.

And barristers not being available for trials

Just heard an interview with Andrew Norfolk , the Times reporter who broke the story about the Rotherham grooming gangs.
He credits Kier Starmer with making it easier to prosecute these men. And he is disgusted by Musk's comments. Norfolk has been working on this since 2011 and says these girls are being exploited all over again by politicians jumping on the bandwagon. Survivors of abuse in Telford have written supporting Jess Phillips. Nobody is listening to them of course. ' Flood the zone with shit ' is Steve Bannon's tactic. Alas it often works. But this time have the liars over reached themselves?

@Clavinova you seem to be conflating various issues.

I think all those who campaigned for those that they believe to have been victims of modern slavery and were on board the 2020 deportation flight will probably stand by their campaign. QCs (or KCs as they are now) are unlikely to put their neck on the line and campaign on something unless they genuinely believe it is illegal.

The grooming scandals starts its criminal journey in 2001. There are so many failures at so many levels from the grass roots upwards that it is hard to blame any one single person. However, if you are going to point the finger at Kier Starmer, I guess you are also pointing the finger at the previous Director General of the CPS, Ken Macdonald 2003-2008, particularly given that there were no convictions prior to 2010?