Home Secretary Priti Patel last night accused Sir Keir Starmer of being soft on crime after it emerged that the Labour leader had suggested that rapists, murderers and terrorists who committed offences when they were below the age of 25 should be treated more leniently. Ms Patel made her remarks after a recording emerged in which Sir Keir suggested that the age at which the criminal justice system regarded defendants as ‘young people’ should be raised from 18 to 25. Ms Patel said: ‘We all know Keir Starmer tries to talk a tough game on law and order. A Labour spokesperson denied that Sir Keir (pictured) believed that the age of young offenders should change‘Keir was not suggesting a change to the definition of young offenders – it is simply not something he believes in. In the recording, Sir Keir also called for the voting age to be lowered to 16, saying: ‘I’m a massive fan of votes at 16.’

Source: Daily Mail March 21, 2021 00:26 UTC