Keir Starmer accused of 'unleashing witch hunt' against Iraq veterans: 'He insisted on doing it for free!'

Sir Keir Starmer served as lead barrister on a controversial human rights case that ultimately paved the way for hundreds of British soldiers to face allegations of war crimes in Iraq, reports suggest.

Court documents show the Prime Minister worked pro bono alongside Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, and solicitor Phil Shiner, who was struck off over false claims of abuse made against UK troops fighting in Iraq.

The case was brought on behalf of Iraqi families who claimed their relatives were unlawfully killed by Britain’s armed forces following the 2003 invasion.

It prompted the Ministry of Defence to launch fresh inquiries into deaths in the Middle East, sparking years of criminal probes into wrongly accused servicemen.

Johnny Mercer, who served as veterans minister between 2022 and 2024, has accused Sir Keir of "unleashing the witchhunt" due to his alleged involvement in the case.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the former Conservative MP claimed the PM harbours an ideological hostility towards veterans.

"It's clear Keir Starmer was personally involved in unleashing the witch hunt against British troops that I've spent the last 10 years dismantling," he stated. "He believes in prosecuting British soldiers so much that he insisted on doing it for free."

Sir Keir is said to have represented several organisations that intervened in support of Shiner's claim, including Amnesty International, Liberty, British Irish Rights Watch and The Kurdish Human Rights Project

The disclosure emerged as Labour faces criticism from veterans over its decision to repeal the Troubles Act — which removes a clause granting immunity to those who served in Northern Ireland from 1969, when the Troubles began, to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

Sergeant Richie Catterall, who fired the fatal shot that killed Muhammad Salim in the Iraqi city of Basra, endured 13 years of investigations by the state before being fully exonerated.

The 56-year-old grandfather, who lives in Wales, was cleared of wrongdoing by the British Army in 2003, yet faced two further investigations following the ruling.

"I am gutted Keir Starmer helped bring this case against me," he argued. "He is now the Prime Minister, and he owes me an apology."

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A 2016 inquiry led by former High Court judge Sir George Newman concluded Sgt Catterall had acted in self-defence and found a "false document" had been created to shift blame onto the UK military.

The prolonged ordeal left Sgt Catterall contemplating death, with multiple suicide attempts and three occasions where he was sectioned due to serious mental illness.

The legal claim, known as Al-Skeini and others v Secretary of State for Defence, sought to establish the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) applied to Britons operating in Iraq.

Although the House of Lords — the precursor of the Supreme Court — rejected these arguments in 2007, the ECHR overturned that decision in 2011, compelling the UK to reopen inquiries into the Iraqi deaths.

The ruling had far-reaching consequences for the MoD, with the Iraq Historic Allegations Team receiving 3,392 complaints, two-thirds of which were linked to Shiner's firm.

The unit cost taxpayers approximately £60million before being disbanded in 2017, without securing a single prosecution.

Shiner was subsequently struck off by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for dishonesty and convicted of fraud in 2024 for paying intermediaries in Iraq to procure clients and fabricating evidence.

Downing Street has defended the Labour leader’s involvement, emphasising he did not represent the Iraqi families directly in the 2007 case.

spokesman stated his role was to represent interveners, including the Law Society of England and Wales, with the purpose being "to assist the court on points of law, not to advocate for either side".

The spokesman added: "As the Prime Minister made clear last week, he will never forget the courage, bravery and sacrifice made for their country by British servicemen and women."

No10 also noted during his career, Sir Keir has represented Britons who were killed in action and wrongly accused.Sir Keir was not involved in the subsequent European Court of Human Rights case, according to sources.