Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has penned an “urgent” letter demanding answers over Sir Keir Starmer’s Attorney General Lord Richard Hemer to Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald.
Jenrick, who also included the Prime Minister’s independent adviser on ministers’ interests Sir Laurie Magnus in the letter, is putting pressure on Lord Hemer over his role to drop a winnable appeal against paying Gerry Adams compensation.
The letter puts the Labour Government in the spotlight just days after Tulip Siddiq tendered her resignation over separate conflict of interest allegations concerning her links to her aunt Sheikh Hasina’s regime in Bangladesh.
In his letter to the Cabinet Secretary, seen by GB News, Jenrick said: “The Attorney General has properly declared his previous position as a barrister at Matrix Chambers in his ministerial interests.
“However, it has been widely reported that Lord Hermer has recently represented clients in matters which remain live issues for His Majesty’s Government, and for which, in these or related matters, it is reasonable to assume the Attorney General’s Office would have been, or will be, asked to provide advice.”
The Shadow Justice Secretary highlighted Lord Hemer’s representation of Sri Lankan asylum seekers in the Chagos Islands, ex-Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, Afghan families associated with the ongoing Afghan inquiry and parties interested in Shamima Begum’s citizenship case.
He added: “These matters raise serious questions about the management of potential conflicts of interest at the highest levels of Government legal service. The implications extend beyond the specific cases to any matters broadly connected to these areas of policy and law.”
Jenrick is demanding answers on whether formal procedures have been established to manage potential conflicts of interest and for a date as to when procedures were implemented.
The Shadow Justice Secretary’s questions in full:
1. What formal procedures have been established to manage these potential conflicts?
2. When were these procedures implemented?
3. Has the Attorney General recused himself from any matters since taking office?
4. Given the public interest in the specific matters set out above, has the Attorney General recused himself from each of these and any related matter? For example, the decision of HMG not to appeal Dillon & Ors [2024] NIKB and the ongoing negotiations with the Government of Mauritius over the future of the Chagos Islands?
5. What mechanism exists to record and monitor such recusals?
6. Has any advice been provided on matters connected to his previous cases?
Jenrick specifically accused the Attorney General of not “fully” recusing himself after Lord Hermer described the UK as having an “obligation” regarding the Chagos Islands.
Concluding his letter, Jenrick said: “Refusing to provide direct answers to these questions and to those put to the Attorney General by the Justice Select Committee risks undermining public confidence in the Attorney General’s Office and the rule of law itself.
“I request that you investigate these matters and revert to me as a matter of urgency. The urgency is compounded by the fact that several of these matters represent some of the most contentious issues in our political and legal life at present, with significant implications for public expenditure and national security.”
GB News also understands that Jenrick could seek further correspondence with Magnus in the future.
Speaking to the People’s Channel earlier this week, Jenrick raised concerns about the Attorney General’s potential role in dropping an appeal the a High Court case concerning Adams and even IRA terrorists.
He said: “We need to know what was the role of the Attorney General, did he recuse himself or did he have a massive conflict of interests by getting involved in this case when he was previously the lawyer of Gerry Adams.”
Responding to previous criticisms, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office said: “Law Officers, by their experience and very professional nature will have an extensive legal background and may have previously been involved in a wide number of past cases.
“That is why there is a robust system for considering and managing any conflicts that may arise, in line with the professional obligations of Law Officers.
“There is the established process on Ministerial declarations, with previous employment and interests having been published for the public record.”
GB News has also approached the Cabinet Office for comment.
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