Woman jailed for race hate post says she was political prisoner

According to Sir Keir Starmer's political prisoner, a woman who was sentenced to prison for inflaming racial hatred against asylum seekers had been sentenced. Lucy Connolly, a Northampton woman, was released on Thursday after serving 40% of her 31-month prison term. In the aftermath of the Southport assault in July 2024, the 42-year-old wife of a Tory councillor had called on people to set fire hotels housing asylum seekers. Number 10 declined to comment, but Sir Keir appeared to defend the prison term in the House of Commons earlier this year, saying he was "against incitement to violence.

Connolly's first newspaper interview since her appointment, told the Telegraphs that she and several others are absolutely be political prisoners of the prime minister.

I seem to have had the most coverage, but there are people in similar situations that shouldn't be in there,

she said, interviewing journalist Allison Pearson, who had campaigned for Connolly's release.

I think with Starmer, he needs to do what he preaches.

He's a human rights advocate, so perhaps he should investigate what people's human rights are; what freedom of expression is; and what the rules are in this region. According to a Crown Prosecution Service report, inciting racial hatred is a criminal offence in England, and one of the few situations that would not be covered by the European Convention on Human Rights is inciting racism. Connolly said in a separate interview that she would be speaking with representatives of Donald Trump's administration on Saturday but that she had no idea what they would be discussing.

They're obviously very interested in the way things are going in the United Kingdom, and they are obviously big supporters of free expression, and their lawyers are eager to talk to me,

she told Dan Wootton on his YouTube channel. The US State Department's most recent study sparked questions about serioUS limitations on freedom of expression in the United Kingdom, referring to government officials' efforts to cool speech in the aftermath of the Southport attack.

On the day of the Southport assault, she had tweeted on X that mass deportation should be done now and that

if that makes me racist, so be it. Connolly's blog had been blocked before she was arrested on August 6th, but it had already been watched 310,000 times. She pleaded guilty to inciting racial hatred by publishing and releasing

threatening or abusive

written material on X. She is a former childminder whose husband is based on a Conservative member of Northampton Town Council. Connolly also told the Telegraph that she was

upset and angry beyond beliefafter the murders in Southport, and that she knewhow that feels because I've lost a child.

Of course, [the tweet] wasn't my finest hour and I don't have one,

I say, but I don’t recommend violence or burning anything down or something of the sort.

She said she was considering legal action against the police over a statement made by the Crown Prosecution Service after her sentencing, which said she told investigators that

she did not like illegal immigrantsand thatchildren were not safe from them. Her remarks had been fully twisted and used against me, she said.

'Volatile situation'

Sir Keir said of the sentence at Prime Minister's Questions in May:

I am firmly in favour of free expression; we've had free expression in this country for a long time; we protect it fiercely.

I am also opposed to inciting violence against others. I will continue to endorse the steps taken by our officers and courts to ensure our streets and citizens are safe.

You were well aware of how turbulent the situation was at Connolly's sentencing in October,

Judge Melbourne Inman KC said.

That turmoil contributed to severe depression in which mindless violence was used.

Connolly will remain on license until the end of her term. According to a Northamptonshire Police spokesperson, the service was aware of Connolly's remarks after her dismissal.