The Conservative party in Britain is intensifying personal attacks on Keir Starmer, the opposition Labour leader and former prominent lawyer, who is seen as a potential prime minister in the upcoming general election. The Tories, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, along with sympathetic right-leaning newspapers, are focusing on Starmer's background as a human rights lawyer and public prosecutor to counter support for his center-left party.
These attacks, considered by political scientists as a desperate tactic, involve scrutinizing Starmer's legal career, including cases where he provided legal advice. The Conservatives are using social media, such as a mocked-up poster questioning Starmer's legal work, and highlighting instances like his advice to the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir in 2008, which recently got banned in the UK.
This strategy is perceived as a response to the government's diminishing popularity, potentially signaling its final stages after being in power for 14 years. The attacks align with the broader "culture wars" in the UK, with Sunak often portraying Starmer as a "lefty lawyer." The Tories are trying to depict Starmer as being "soft on crime" and emphasize past cases he handled as a barrister, including representation of an IRA member and hate preacher Abu Qatada.
Despite these personal attacks, legal and Labour experts stress that Starmer's legal representation adhered to professional obligations. The ongoing scrutiny is seen as an attempt to distract from critical issues facing the government, such as a cost-of-living crisis and record hospital waiting lists. Polls indicate a significant lead for Labour over the Conservatives, suggesting a potential landslide defeat for the ruling party in the upcoming election.
