Read on Twitter
I am no @BarristerSecret or @Joanna__Hardy, but it is, as a lawyer, frustrating to constantly hear people misrepresenting clear facts about our criminal justice system & work done. Here is a short thread about the actual work (vs myths) done by Kier Starmer whilst at the DPP ...
1/15
Iâm not telling you who to vote for labour leader, or not to thrash out options over a beer at the pub, but (having watched the lies & rubbish peddled across political campaigns the last few months) I am asking you to make decisions based on the correct facts & figures...
Iâm not telling you who to vote for labour leader, or not to thrash out options over a beer at the pub, but (having watched the lies & rubbish peddled across political campaigns the last few months) I am asking you to make decisions based on the correct facts & figures...
2/15
Myth: Starmer's choices meant prosecution & conviction of sexual violence crimes & rape fell.
Fact: With Starmer as DPP, convictions for rape & domestic violence went up. When he left 2013, prosecutions were at their highest. Victims praised him. http://bit.ly/2tHCsJd
__
Myth: Starmer's choices meant prosecution & conviction of sexual violence crimes & rape fell.
Fact: With Starmer as DPP, convictions for rape & domestic violence went up. When he left 2013, prosecutions were at their highest. Victims praised him. http://bit.ly/2tHCsJd
__
3/15
Myth: Starmer prosecuted "false allegations" deterring survivors from coming forward.
Fact: Keir transformed how CPS deals with violence against women & girls, rewriting guidelines to deal with the damaging myths preventing victims coming forward. http://bit.ly/2vaPPSC
Myth: Starmer prosecuted "false allegations" deterring survivors from coming forward.
Fact: Keir transformed how CPS deals with violence against women & girls, rewriting guidelines to deal with the damaging myths preventing victims coming forward. http://bit.ly/2vaPPSC
4/15
Myth: Starmer led the team that didn't prosecute Worboys further. His denial of involvement is suspicious given his position.
Fact: He wasn't involved in the decision making of this case. The CPS made this clear. (DPP's also don't decide sentences). http://bit.ly/38tAoTY
Myth: Starmer led the team that didn't prosecute Worboys further. His denial of involvement is suspicious given his position.
Fact: He wasn't involved in the decision making of this case. The CPS made this clear. (DPP's also don't decide sentences). http://bit.ly/38tAoTY
5/15
Myth: Starmer approved the decision to not bring charges against police for shooting dead an innocent man, Jean Charles De Menezes.
Fact: The decision not to prosecute an individual police officer in this case was made by the CPS in 2006, two years before Keir became DPP.
Myth: Starmer approved the decision to not bring charges against police for shooting dead an innocent man, Jean Charles De Menezes.
Fact: The decision not to prosecute an individual police officer in this case was made by the CPS in 2006, two years before Keir became DPP.
6/15
Myth: After delaying investigations into Ian Tomlinson's death, Starmer announced the CPS would not prosecute PC Simon Harwood for attacking him.
Fact: Starmer sought independent legal advice on this, which concluded initial evidence wasn't strong enough for prosecution.
Myth: After delaying investigations into Ian Tomlinson's death, Starmer announced the CPS would not prosecute PC Simon Harwood for attacking him.
Fact: Starmer sought independent legal advice on this, which concluded initial evidence wasn't strong enough for prosecution.
7/15
Later on, further evidence came to light and the decision was taken to prosecute a police officer for manslaughter. The jury acquitted the officer on 19 July 2012. Every decision Keir took in this case was put in the public domain.
Later on, further evidence came to light and the decision was taken to prosecute a police officer for manslaughter. The jury acquitted the officer on 19 July 2012. Every decision Keir took in this case was put in the public domain.
8/15
Myth: Starmer sought to toughen penalties for cases of benefit fraud.
Fact: Starmer was keen to prosecute those involved in serious benefit fraud or coercion - e.g. organised crime gangs forcing people new to UK to commit fraudulent claims & taking a cut of the proceeds.
Myth: Starmer sought to toughen penalties for cases of benefit fraud.
Fact: Starmer was keen to prosecute those involved in serious benefit fraud or coercion - e.g. organised crime gangs forcing people new to UK to commit fraudulent claims & taking a cut of the proceeds.
9/15
Itâs right those types of case are pursued. He has a strong history on protecting benefits, supporting families of strikers who had their benefits cut off by the previous gov. He took the last Labour gov to court on its decision to deny welfare benefits to asylum seekers.
Itâs right those types of case are pursued. He has a strong history on protecting benefits, supporting families of strikers who had their benefits cut off by the previous gov. He took the last Labour gov to court on its decision to deny welfare benefits to asylum seekers.
10/15
Myth: Starmer backslid on commitments for specialist barristers for all stages of rape prosecution.
Fact: With Starmer as DPP, conviction rates for rape cases went up. Significant progress was made forming a network of rape specialist prosecutors. http://bit.ly/37gBySw
Myth: Starmer backslid on commitments for specialist barristers for all stages of rape prosecution.
Fact: With Starmer as DPP, conviction rates for rape cases went up. Significant progress was made forming a network of rape specialist prosecutors. http://bit.ly/37gBySw
11/15
Myth: Keir Starmer personally overruled the decision of his subordinates and decided to prosecute Paul Chambers for making a joke on Twitter to his 600 followers.
Fact: This is simply not true. Keir was not the decision maker on this case.
Myth: Keir Starmer personally overruled the decision of his subordinates and decided to prosecute Paul Chambers for making a joke on Twitter to his 600 followers.
Fact: This is simply not true. Keir was not the decision maker on this case.
__
12/15
Myth: In 2012 Starmer didn't bring charges against MI5 & MI6 spies for illegal rendition and torture
Fact: Keir has a record fighting against torture / human rights abuse. The CPS was unable to bring prosecutions in rendition & torture cases due to insufficient evidence
12/15
Myth: In 2012 Starmer didn't bring charges against MI5 & MI6 spies for illegal rendition and torture
Fact: Keir has a record fighting against torture / human rights abuse. The CPS was unable to bring prosecutions in rendition & torture cases due to insufficient evidence
13/15
Myth: Keir put pressure on the Swedish police to pursue Julian Assange.
Fact: This is simply untrue. Extradition decisions are taken by courts â not by the DPP. The Supreme Court ruled that Assange should be extradited to face questioning for serious allegations.
Myth: Keir put pressure on the Swedish police to pursue Julian Assange.
Fact: This is simply untrue. Extradition decisions are taken by courts â not by the DPP. The Supreme Court ruled that Assange should be extradited to face questioning for serious allegations.
__
14/15
When you consider the amount of casual misinformation surrounding his record as DPP, it can almost overshadow the brilliant work he did do... & I believe decisions / comments about him as a leader/a lawyer & as DPP should at least be based as a starting point on facts..
14/15
When you consider the amount of casual misinformation surrounding his record as DPP, it can almost overshadow the brilliant work he did do... & I believe decisions / comments about him as a leader/a lawyer & as DPP should at least be based as a starting point on facts..
15/15
To name just a few:
Fighting for justice for Stephen Lawrence.
Standing up to MPs on expenses. Creating new guidelines for prosecuting cases of violence against woman & girls.
His campaign for social justice has been a lot longer than his campaign to lead the Labour Party
To name just a few:
Fighting for justice for Stephen Lawrence.
Standing up to MPs on expenses. Creating new guidelines for prosecuting cases of violence against woman & girls.
His campaign for social justice has been a lot longer than his campaign to lead the Labour Party
