Should Starmer sue Sunak?

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It's the general population that is more uninformed rather than thick , we don't know that barristers work to that system because most of us have had nothing to do with them. Thankfully, but you know the old adage if you say something often enough it becomes a "fact" and people will always remember a " fact" whether it true or false unfortunately. It worked for Johnson it will probably work for Sunak as well.

25Avalon

I thought MP’s could not be sued for slander or defamation for remarks made in parliament? Ergo Starmer cannot sue Sunak. It’s up to the Speaker to keep order.

He repeated it in an interview with Piers Morgan, Avalon.

He was so out of control in that interview it makes you wonder how he will cope with the public and debates running up to an election.

25Avalon

I thought MP’s could not be sued for slander or defamation for remarks made in parliament? Ergo Starmer cannot sue Sunak. It’s up to the Speaker to keep order.

I believe they can say what they like really unless the Speaker slams it down, Parliamentary Privilege.

DaisyAnneReturns

I wrote the OP GrannyGravy and it appears you are not able to quote "word for word". This is what I actually wrote.

My question is, why does he keep repeating it? Does he see his supporters as so thick and stupid that they don't understand the cab rank rule for Barristers? Is he really that out of touch?

I was clearly questioning Sunak's view of his supporters.

There are, however, a few horses out of the same stable on here today, who don't seem to feel the truth matters and will twist it anyway they can to follow their leader in personal attacks - just as badly made as his it seems.

Splitting hairs DAR

The truth is you did post the words I reposted, the rest of the sentence was not relevant to my post regarding my prediction that thick and stupid will be seen on here time and time again in the run up to the GE.

Well he obviously isnt going to do that, I am not sure why anyone would think he would or should take that course of action.

I believe the comment was made outside Parliament. In any event Starmer would know it would be most unwise to start defamation proceedings.

I thought MP’s could not be sued for slander or defamation for remarks made in parliament? Ergo Starmer cannot sue Sunak. It’s up to the Speaker to keep order.

I have seen hundreds of those discussions today alone, all over social media. I wouldnt joke because I think it's a serious complex subject.

GrannyGravy13

Mrs Ghey, was not in the public gallery during PMQ’s according to the BBC (Radio 2, 4pm news)

The leader of the opposition has posted on X pictures of him meeting her in the H of C’s this afternoon.

Even if she wasn't there (though Starmer said that she was, before Sunak's ill chosen words, the likelihood of her seeing, or hearing of, the exchange was extremely high. It was tactless, to say the very least. But then, I think he learns those 'answers' off by heart before the PMQs session and reels them off without considering their meaning.

I don't actually consider it to have been particularly anti trans, but it was inappropriate.

I was listening, I heard it. But she was not in the gallery at the time. I don’t find it despicable - it’s a constant criticism of Starmer. Not a joke, a statement of fact. It’s no good pussyfooting around Starmer’s problems with what a woman is because someone might be offended. Someone will always be offended. Frankly, I think Starmer used the mother today, for his own ends.

I wrote the OP GrannyGravy and it appears you are not able to quote "word for word". This is what I actually wrote.

My question is, why does he keep repeating it? Does he see his supporters as so thick and stupid that they don't understand the cab rank rule for Barristers? Is he really that out of touch?

I was clearly questioning Sunak's view of his supporters.

There are, however, a few horses out of the same stable on here today, who don't seem to feel the truth matters and will twist it anyway they can to follow their leader in personal attacks - just as badly made as his it seems.

He made this joke because he is using an issue that is complex and difficult, to further his aims. The phrase anti trans community is also used in a very unclear and divisive way.

Germanshepherdsmum

Brianna’s mother was not in the gallery at the time.

And yes, a lot of people know nothing about the cab rank principle. Does that make them ‘thick and stupid’?

Starmer does his fair share of repeating his favourite anti-Conservative tropes too.

When Starmer first stood up in PMQs he said:

"“This week, the unwavering bravery of Brianna Ghey’s mother, Esther, has touched us all. As a father I can’t even imagine the pain that she’s going through. And I’m glad that she’s with us in the gallery here today,”

Sunak knew she was there. Surely, even you must find it despicable, that he made a joke about trans people when the mother of a girl, murdered at least partly because she was trans, was sat listening in the gallery.

And why did Sunak make this crass "joke". Simply to stir up more hatred among the anti-trans community.

MaizieD

I don't think he's all that distanced from the rest of the population. There are plenty of people who are happy to castigate barristers for representing 'guilty' people.

The slur will stick.

I suspect that Starmer has enough on his plate already, without suing Sunak.

I feel it would be better if he didn't but I would also like the Bar Council to do more. The head of this body has accused Rishi Sunak of ‘startling ignorance’ about lawyers.

If Sunak said something offensive, then its offense should be decided on its content not on who is present in the chamber. That's not how we can decide on the conduct within the chamber.

Mrs Ghey, was not in the public gallery during PMQ’s according to the BBC (Radio 2, 4pm news)

The leader of the opposition has posted on X pictures of him meeting her in the H of C’s this afternoon.

Germanshepherdsmum

^Does he see his supporters as so thick and stupid ^

Ergo the writer of those words sees anyone who doesn’t know about the cab rank principle as thick and stupid .

I’ve never heard about the cab rank situation regarding barristers either and bet most of the population hasn’t either.

Starmer has gone down in my estimation now for using Mrs Ghey in a political spat in Parliament, he could have just batted away the comment on flip flopping by Sunak on not knowing what a woman was ,but chose to involve her in it while looking smug.

Using Mrs Ghey was so wrong

Does he see his supporters as so thick and stupid

Ergo the writer of those words sees anyone who doesn’t know about the cab rank principle as thick and stupid .

MaizieD

It's got nothing to do with the PM using those words. DAR is being criticised for using them, but if you actually read her OP you will see that she wasn't accusing the PM's supporters of being 'thick and stupid'.

I read the OP

Does he see his supporters as so thick and stupid

word for word from DAR

The OP was questioning whether or not the PM thought this of his supporters.

If you read my post I was looking into my crystal ball and predicting that there will be many more threads alluding to thick and stupid in the run up to the election.

MaizieD

It's got nothing to do with the PM using those words. DAR is being criticised for using them, but if you actually read her OP you will see that she wasn't accusing the PM's supporters of being 'thick and stupid'.

Yes, but people so often interpret a post as what they want to see.

And I’m sure people do know about the cab rule - it has come up so often in years past that it would be difficult not to know.

I can't stand Sunak.

But I'm not keen on Starmer either.

Oh, that was in response to GG13

It's got nothing to do with the PM using those words. DAR is being criticised for using them, but if you actually read her OP you will see that she wasn't accusing the PM's supporters of being 'thick and stupid'.