KEMI Badenoch says Sir Keir Starmer should apologise for leading a legal case which opened the door to hundreds of British soldiers being pursued for alleged war crimes.
She accused the PM of harassing Iraq veterans who “put their lives on the line” via the court system.
It comes after the PM was accused of sparking a “witch-hunt” against British troops.
He led a legal case which opened the door to hundreds of British soldiers being pursued for alleged war crimes during the Iraq War.
Asked whether Sir Keir should say sorry, Ms Badenoch told a press conference: “Yes, I believe that the way that our veterans have been harassed through the courts is a complete disgrace.
“We have been doing everything we can to protect them. What Labour is doing with this legislation it is doing because it does not believe in our veterans.”
Sir Keir worked with Lord Hermer – now Attorney General – on the 2007 human rights claim which triggered probes into wrongly accused soldiers.
Ms Badenoch added: “Whether it’s Keir Starmer or his Attorney General Lord Hermer, where they have had the opportunity – pro bono, not cab rank – they have gone to help the people who are acting against our country’s national interests.
“Those veterans put their lives on the line to defend us and I want them to know that the Conservative Party will always have their back.”
Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer told The Telegraph: “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 believes in prosecuting British soldiers so much that he insisted on doing it for free.”
Documents found by the newspaper reveal that Sir Keir was the lead barrister on a case which ultimately set off fresh inquiries into deaths in Iraq.
It led to years of costly taxpayer funded criminal investigations into wrongly accused soldiers.
It included an inquiry into a Sgt Richie Catterall who had already been cleared twice of murder over the death of an Iraqi man in 2003.
Sgt Catterall was left suicidal and suffering from serious mental illness.
“I am gutted Keir Starmer helped bring this case against me,” Sgt Catterall said.
“He is now the prime minister, and he owes me an apology.
“You are only supposed to be investigated once. I was investigated three times. I wasn’t well when I got back from Iraq but they kept coming for me. Keir Starmer must share some of that responsibility.”
Downing Street stressed that Sir Keir did not represent the Iraqi families and his role was to “assist the court on points of law, not to advocate for either side”.
A spokesman said: “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.
“During his career, the prime minister has represented British soldiers who were killed in action and were wrongly accused.
“The prime minister did not represent the claimants in this case. He represented interveners, including the Law Society of England and Wales.
“The role of an intervener is to assist the court on points of law, not to advocate for either side.
“The prime minister was not involved in the subsequent case heard in the European Court of Human Rights.”
