White House reignites free speech row with Starmer

Donald Trump has revived his explosive free speech row with Sir Keir Starmer, with a decision to “monitor” the case of Lucy Connolly, the woman jailed for an online rant about migrants on the day of the Southport attacks.

- KATE DEVLIN

The US State Department said it was “concerned about infringements on freedom of expression”.

It is examining the treatment of 42-year-old Connolly, the wife of a former Conservative councillor, who was sentenced to 31 months after she made the post on X/Twitter in the hours after three girls were stabbed and killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024.

She told her 9,000 followers: “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the fucking hotels full of the bastards for all I care, while you’re at it take the treacherous government and politicians with them.

“I feel physically sick knowing what these families will now have to endure. If that makes me racist so be it.”

Judges threw out an appeal brought by her legal team last week.

A spokesperson for the US state department told