Jeremy Hunt vows to rewrite treason laws to tackle British Jihadis if he becomes PM
2 min read
British Jihadis will face life in prison under Jeremy Hunt as he pledged to rewrite the treason laws if he becomes Prime Minister.
The Tory leadership hopeful said he would make the "punishment fit the crime” and update the legislation on prosecuting those who support groups willing to attack the UK and our military.
The Treason Act, which dates back to 1351, was originally designed to punish those plotting or “imagining” the death of the monarch.
Mr Hunt, in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, said: “In an age of growing threats from Iran, Russia and Islamic extension, we must be able to properly punish those who betray our country.
"Betraying Britain by supporting terrorism is one of the most serious crimes a person can commit.
"The current laws are not adequate to cover all the acts which should be treated as treason.
"Plotting against Britain and fighting for our enemies is a direct assault on our whole society, and this new law would mean those who carry it out would face the proper punishment.”
The foreign secretary said the updated legislation would also include "more legal options" to successfully prosecute hate preachers.
It is one of the most radical policy pledges by either candidate in the race to replace Theresa May, as Mr Hunt attempts to make up the gap to rival Boris Johnson.
Recent polls have put him up to 50 points behind the frontrunner after his campaign was derailed by the row over repealing the ban on fox hunting this week.
Elsewhere in the interview he also said he was not willing to “take no-deal off the table” after Mr Johnson insisted he was “not bluffing” about pursuing a no-deal Brexit.
Mr Hunt also attacked Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, saying his approach to anti-semitism is the "single biggest" reason he "should never be allowed into No 10".
He said: "I think that the way Corbyn is trying to sweep anti-semitism under the carpet, his inability to distinguish between criticism of Israel and criticism of Jewish people and the way that his own actions and comments have bordered on anti-semitism, are deeply worrying.”
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