Court finds neo-Nazi Cavan Medlock planned attack at law firm

The Bar Council, the professional body for barristers in England and Wales, condemned the language and at the time called on her and Boris Johnson to “stop deliberately inflammatory language towards a profession simply doing its job”.

Mr Johnson had made separate comments deriding human rights lawyers in his October 2020 party conference speech, but did not refer to Duncan Lewis or immigration cases.

Sam Townend KC, the council’s current president, said that it had continued to warn of anti-lawyer rhetoric and it hoped a page had now been turned – but the profession’s concerns remain exceptionally high.

Richard Atkinson, the president of the Law Society, which represents solicitors, said: “The attack on Duncan Lewis solicitors was the first example of a worrying new trend.

“This eventually led to threatened attacks on 39 law firms and advice agencies during this summer’s riots.

“Many lawyers have faced deaths threats and have had to seek police protection. Until recently, this was unheard of in our country.

“This trend did not emerge from nowhere. It was closely associated with a degraded debate led by senior parliamentarians and sections of the media, largely focused on the immigration and asylum system.

“Words have consequences, particularly when they come from people in positions of seniority and power. They can legitimise hate, encourage division, and have serious repercussions.”

Dame Priti Patel has been contacted for comment.