Starmer: I was paid by terror group that’s now banned in UK

SIR KEIR Starmer defended taking money from a banned terrorist group last night.

The Labour leader admitted providing legal advice to Hizb ut-Tahrir in 2008, during his career as a prominent barrister, though said he had not represented them.

The Islamist group was proscribed earlier this year meaning it is illegal to join the organisation in the UK.

Sir Keir defended giving legal advice to the group when Germany was attempting to ban them.

‘Lawyers give legal advice, doctors treat patients, the fact a doctor treats a patient doesn’t mean the doctor agrees with that patient’s beliefs,’ he said.

On the principle that everyone has a right to legal representation, he told The Sun: ‘Of course I don’t agree with these people but that doesn’t adjust the principle.’

The Tories have taken aim at the Labour leader’s past work for the now-banned group.

They previously tweeted a poster saying: ‘Are you a terrorist in need of legal advice? Better call Keir.’

The issue has been the subject of fiery exchanges between Mr Sunak and the Labour leader during Prime Minister’s Questions. Founded in 1953, Hizb ut-Tahrir is a pan-Islamic fundamentalist group which has been banned in several Arab and Asian countries, including China, as well as in Germany.

With headquarters in Lebanon, the group also operates in at least 32 countries.

It has organised rallies which took place on the streets of London alongside pro-Palestine marches in recent months, following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Sir Keir yesterday confirmed he is also taking regular advice from Sir Tony Blair about being in power. He said: ‘I talk to Tony a lot about the period just before ‘97, because obviously I’m very interested in talking to people who have won elections and taken a party from opposition into government.

‘It’s been not so much about specific policies, but about the pace, the preparedness of getting an opposition ready for government if we are privileged enough to be voted in to serve,’ he told Channel 5.