PM defends courts over Lucy Connolly racist post

Lucy Connolly, a 41-year-old childminder from Northampton, was sentenced to 31 months' imprisonment

The prime minister has defended the 31-month prison term imposed on a councillor's wife for her online rant against migrants on the day of the Southport attacks.

Lucy Connolly, from Northampton, was jailed in October for inciting racial hatred and the Court of Appeal upheld the sentence on Tuesday.

The independent MP for Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, Rupert Lowe, used Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions to ask Sir Keir Starmer whether the jail term was an "efficient or fair" use of prison.

Sir Keir said he was in favour of free speech and against inciting violence, and said sentences were a matter for the courts.

Connolly's husband was a Conservative member of West Northamptonshire Council.

She had put an expletive-ridden post on X, on the day three children were killed at a dance class in Southport in Merseyside, urging followers to "set fire" to hotels which housed asylum seekers.

She also called for "mass deportation now" and added "if that makes me a racist, then so be it".

The Court of Appeal ruled that her 31-month sentence was not "manifestly excessive".

Rupert Lowe, originally a Reform UK MP but now an independent, asked the prime minister whether Connolly's sentence was fair

Speaking in the House of Commons, Lowe said: "Does the prime minister agree that imprisoning Lucy Connolly, a young mother with a 12-year-old daughter, for one foolish social media post, soon deleted, is clearly not an efficient or fair use of prison?"

Sir Keir said that sentencing was a "matter for our courts" and he celebrated the independence of the judiciary.

He added: "I am strongly in favour of free speech - we've had free speech for a very long time and we protect it fiercely - but I'm equally against incitement to violence against other people.

"I will always support the action taken by our police and courts to keep our streets and people safe."

Sir Keir Starmer told MPs sentencing was a matter for the courts

Lowe has said on social media that he has tabled a motion calling for greater use of community sentences and urging the government to "ensure the limited prison space is prioritised for dangerous and violent offenders, not young mothers like Lucy Connolly".

He has also written to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, to demand Connolly's release.