Lord Hermer’s Past Views on Immigration Stir Tensions Amid Starmer’s Tougher Border Promises

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Title: Lord Hermer’s Past Views on Immigration Stir Tensions Amid Starmer’s Tougher Border Promises

 

Lord Hermer, the UK’s Attorney General, is facing growing scrutiny over past remarks in which he championed the “immense positives” of immigration and urged a fundamental shift in the way it is discussed in British politics. In a 2022 podcast interview recorded before he entered Parliament or assumed his current role, Hermer called for efforts to “alter the popular discourse” on immigration and expressed concern that fear around the issue had become a powerful tool for Right-wing movements like Brexit.

 

Speaking on the Matrix Chambers podcast during a discussion about the Conservative government’s controversial Rwanda deportation policy, Hermer argued that the political Right had long exploited immigration to gain support. “The populist Right are very successful in using immigration and the fear of immigration as a recruitment sergeant or just generally in dominating the kind of political field,” he said. He then posed a challenge to his fellow legal and advocacy professionals: “What can those of us who are passionate about the protection of refugee rights do to try and alter the popular discourse?”

 

Hermer added, “How do we go on the offence more generally in terms of our political culture, either to detoxify the whole debate, or to promote the immense positive things that immigration brings to this country? I speak as a second-generation immigrant to this country. How do we change the debate?”

 

His remarks appear to be at odds with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s more recent stance on immigration. Starmer has pledged to “take back control of our borders” and warned that failing to do so could turn the UK into an “island of strangers.” The contrast between Hermer’s earlier comments and Labour’s tougher rhetoric on border control has raised questions among political opponents and within the party itself.

 

The podcast episode also featured refugee rights expert Raza Husain KC and Sile Reynolds of the advocacy organisation Freedom from Torture. The discussion centred on challenging what Hermer described as a “propagandised post-truth world” and presenting an “alternative vision” of Britain as “a country that welcomes people seeking asylum.”

 

Hermer, born in South Glamorgan to a Jewish family and reportedly a frequent visitor to Israel, has not spoken publicly about his parents’ origins. His appointment to the role of Attorney General came only after being granted a peerage by Starmer last year, despite having no prior political experience. That decision has since come under fire, with critics citing alleged conflicts of interest stemming from Hermer’s previous work as a human rights lawyer.

 

His client list has prompted fierce criticism, including representations for Gerry Adams and an Islamist terrorist who planned to bomb Manchester. These associations have led some, including shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, to accuse Hermer of having spent his career “defending Britain’s enemies.”

 

Hermer recently caused further controversy after drawing a historical parallel between politicians who question Britain’s commitment to international legal frameworks like the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and lawmakers in Nazi Germany. He later apologised for the comment but faced renewed calls to resign.

 

The immigration issue continues to dominate headlines. Defence Secretary John Healey admitted this week that Britain had “lost control of its borders” after nearly 1,200 people crossed the Channel in a single day. At the same time, Starmer has pledged to tighten how the UK applies the ECHR, particularly in cases where foreign criminals avoid deportation by invoking the “right to family life.” One such case cited involved an Albanian man who remained in the UK because deporting him would have required his son—who reportedly disliked Albanian chicken nuggets—to leave as well.

 

Adding to the mix, Hermer also previously advised Caribbean nations seeking reparations from Britain for slavery, working with the Caribbean Community (Caricom) as early as 2013.

 

Despite the controversies, a spokesperson for Hermer insisted that the Attorney General is fully aligned with current government immigration policy as laid out in the official white paper.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph  2025-06-07

 

 

[Thingamabob]

Don't be fooled by the apparent policy change on immigration Hermer and Starmer hand in glove on all issues. Lord help Britain and it's people.