Lord Hermer Pursued 'Witch Hunt' Against Innocent British Troops | Unpacked

The Telegraph
The TelegraphApr 22, 2026

Why It Matters

The case illustrates how senior legal officials can weaponize false allegations, undermining military morale and public trust, and may trigger reforms to protect veterans and ensure accountability.

Key Takeaways

  • Lord Herema pushed false war‑crime claims against British soldiers.
  • Evidence showed alleged Iraqi victims were members of Iranian‑backed militia.
  • Herema advised claimants to demand higher settlements despite credibility doubts.
  • Public inquiry exonerated troops, labeling allegations deliberate lies.
  • Calls emerge for investigation into Herema’s conduct as attorney general.

Summary

The video “Lord Herma pursued ‘witch hunt’…” alleges that the UK’s attorney general, Lord Herema, orchestrated a campaign of false war‑crime accusations against decorated British soldiers from the 2004 Battle of Dannyboy in Iraq.

Based on more than 25,000 documents obtained by The Telegraph, the investigation traces a timeline from the initial press conference by public‑interest lawyer Phil Shiner to a series of emails in which Herema urged lawyers to “be slightly more explicit” about execution evidence, even as internal memos flagged that the alleged victims were actually members of the Iranian‑backed Mardi militia. Despite these red flags, Herema continued to advise claimants on higher settlement demands and pursued civil damages through 2015.

A key email quote reads, “Do you need to be slightly more explicit … to generate sufficient interest?” and later correspondence shows Herema insisting the detainee claims remained viable under the Human Rights Act, despite the public inquiry’s 2016 finding that the allegations were “deliberate and calculated lies.” Lawyers for the soldiers now call for an investigation into Herema’s conduct.

The revelations raise serious questions about the misuse of legal authority, potential abuse of compensation mechanisms, and the political fallout for the Labour Party’s handling of veterans’ affairs. If substantiated, they could prompt reforms to safeguard against future “witch hunts” and trigger disciplinary action against a senior government lawyer.

Original Description

Lord Hermer pursued a notorious “witch hunt” against British troops despite being warned that the allegations were lies, The Telegraph can disclose.
An investigation by this newspaper can reveal the Attorney General’s leading role in the Al-Sweady scandal, which left decorated war heroes facing false accusations of murder and torture for more than a decade.
Emails and legal documents show that Sir Keir Starmer’s closest Cabinet ally acted as lead counsel in civil claims against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and pressed for lucrative compensation despite mounting evidence that his eight Iraqi clients were “on the make”.
#hermer #starmer #iraq
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