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Lawyers compare new government plans to ‘shame’ companies that employ foreign staff to Nazi persecution of Jews

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By Katie King on

One QC described the Home Secretary’s proposals as “abhorrent” and refused to follow them

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The government has announced plans to “name and shame” companies that employ foreign staff, and lawyers are totally up in arms about it.

Speaking at the Conservative Party conference, Home Secretary Amber Rudd (pictured) unveiled controversial plans which, if implemented, would require companies to publish “the proportion” of “international” staff in their workforce.

These comments have certainly whipped up a social media storm. Some spectators have accused the Tories of chasing the UKIP vote, others have said the plans normalise racism.

One group that has been particularly vocal in this furore is the legal profession.

This morning, family lawyer Philip Marshall QC described the proposals as “abhorrent” and openly refused to comply with them.

It’s not often lawyers publicly support not following a law (though please bear in mind Rudd’s proposals are simply proposals at this stage), but the profession clearly has strong feelings about this.

Anonymous legal blogger the Secret Barrister went as far as to note the eery similarities between the prospective naming and shaming scheme and the Nazi persecution of Jewish people.

As did Quadrant Chambers silk James Turner QC.

Also quick to give Rudd and co’s recommendations the middle finger were lawyer Lucy Rigby and LSE professor Tom Poole.

You might want to rethink this one Amber…