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The attorney general is embroiled in a fresh row after it emerged asylum seekers he represented as a lawyer were granted a “one-off ” deal to come to Britain from the Chagos Islands months after he joined the government.
Lord Hermer unsuccessfully took the UK government to court in 2023 on behalf of five Sri Lankan asylum seekers.
The group, along with dozens more, had washed on the British-American base on the islands.
Their case was dismissed by the High Court but after Labour came to power a “one-off ” agreement allowed all 61 to come to Britain.
Now Lord Hermer has been urged to ”come clean” about whether or not he had recused himself from any involvement in the decision.
Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, said there was “a clear pattern” of Labour “making contentious decisions against the national interest that benefit the attorney general’s former clients”.
He added: “The public will be asking where his loyalties lie. It is unacceptable for the government to hide behind convention and decline to confirm whether our chief legal adviser was involved in a decision about asylum seekers he had recently represented in court against His Majesty’s Government.
“The attorney general cannot lecture about the rule of law while dodging fundamental questions about conflicts of interest. He must now urgently come clean and explain to the British public whether he was involved in these decisions in government, or his position is untenable.”
It comes after Lord Hermer faced questions over the government’s decision to open the door to potential compensation for imprisoning another of his clients, Gerry Adams, during the Troubles.
Grilled by MPs last week, Lord Hermer cited convention that holders of his office should not disclose the details of legal advice they give to the government.
An spokesperson 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.”
Last year Keir Starmer’s government agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a highly controversial deal.
But while Labour’s attempts to end British colonial rule on the Indian Ocean islands had the backing of the Biden administration, the incoming Trump administration is thought to be opposed to the deal and is seeking ways to veto it.
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