The UK Attorney General has been forced into a humiliating retreat after sparking outrage by comparing calls to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to 1930s Nazi Germany.
Lord Hermer, an unelected Labour peer and close ally of Keir Starmer, triggered fury during a speech at the RUSI defence think tank on Thursday. He claimed that critics of international law—namely Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch—were echoing the “siren song” of Nazi legal theorist Carl Schmitt, who justified Hitler’s seizure of power.
Hermer claimed that rejecting international law was “not a new song,” linking it to the Nazi takeover of legal institutions. He said this mindset was “reckless and dangerous” and would make Britain “less prosperous and secure.”
The backlash was immediate. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage slammed the remarks as “disgraceful,” accusing Hermer and Labour leader Keir Starmer of being “out of touch” with the British public.
“The next general election will see leaving the ECHR at the centre of debate,” Farage declared. “Our national interest is being damaged by dangerous young men crossing the Channel and the absurd surrender of the Chagos Islands.”
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, was also in the firing line of Hermer’s speech. Her spokesman hit back, saying: “It’s ironic that he claimed to be de-polarising the debate while calling everyone he disagrees with Nazis.”
On Friday, Hermer backed down. A spokesman said he “acknowledges that his choice of words was clumsy and regrets having used this reference.” However, he insisted Hermer’s defence of international law was vital to tackle threats like Russia and illegal immigration networks
The speech is the latest in a string of controversial moves by Hermer, a former human rights barrister and close ally of Starmer. He has previously called Trump “the orange tyrant,” praised Just Stop Oil protestors as “inspiring,” and argued Britain has a “moral obligation” to pay reparations for slavery.
In a past podcast, Hermer also described pledges to “control our borders” as “de-humanising” and accused former PM Boris Johnson of “brazenly” breaking international law.
As journalist Nigel Jones wrote in response to Hermer’s speech, “once you compare your opponents to Hitler, you’ve lost the argument.” But it seems Labour’s elites haven’t got the message.
