Tory demands to look into attorney general and ‘conflict of interest’ claims dismissed
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UK’s top civil servant rejects Robert Jenrick’s demand to investigate Richard Hermer’s career as human rights barrister for Gerry Adams. UK politics live – latest updates. The cabinet secretary has dismissed Conservative demands for an investigation into whether the attorney general has advised the government on issues where he has conflicts of interest.
Chris Wormald, the UK’s most senior civil servant, wrote to Robert Jenrick on Thursday saying there was a “rigorous system” to prevent government law officers from advising on issues where they may be conflicted. Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, had asked Wormald to investigate potential conflicts arising from Richard Hermer’s career as a human rights barrister, during which he advised Gerry Adams and Sri Lankan asylum seekers who took action against the government.
Under longstanding convention, the issues on which government lawyers advise ministers and the content of their advice are not made public to avoid dragging them into political rows. Senior lawyers, including the former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve, have defended Hermer and said the attacks against him were politically motivated.
Lucy Rigby, the solicitor general, told the Commons on Thursday that Wormald had written to Jenrick that “the attorney general’s office has a rigorous system in place” to avoid conflicts. Rigby told the Commons: “There’s been a really cynical linking in recent days by the opposition of the attorney general with some of his previous clients. I’m happy to confirm that where the attorney general has conflicts he will recuse himself.
