Britain’s top civil servant was last night urged to investigate the Attorney General’s potential role in a string of controversial government decisions.
Sir Chris Wormald, Cabinet Secretary, was asked to launch a probe into Lord Hermer over growing ‘conflict of interest’ concerns about his past clients, including Gerry Adams.
It came after it emerged that Lord Hermer previously represented a group of asylum seekers allowed to come to Britain from the Chagos Islands in a ‘one-off’ deal just months after his appointment.
He took the Government to court in 2023, while a private practising lawyer, on behalf of five asylum seekers hoping to come to the UK – part of a group who washed up on the Anglo-American military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos atolls.
The case was dismissed by the High Court.
But just months after Sir Keir Starmer appointed him, the Government granted a ‘one-off’ deal to allow all 61 migrants to come to the UK.
The disclosure, reported by The Sunday Telegraph, sparked calls for Lord Hermer to say if he recused himself from any involvement with the decision.
He also refused to reveal if he played a role in a proposed law change which paves the way for former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to get taxpayer-funded compensation, citing the Law Officers’ Convention – a rule that Attorney Generals cannot reveal what legal advice they have given the Government.
Attorney General Lord Hermer (pictured) is facing accusations of a conflict of interest over Diego Garcia asylum seekers being allowed to come to the UK
The five migrants, who had landed at the US-UK military base in the Chagos Islands (pictured), lost their High Court bid to come to this country
Critics accuse him of ‘hiding behind’ the Convention.
Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick wrote to Sir Chris last night calling for him to launch a probe, stating: ‘While I note the Law Officers’ Convention, its purpose was to protect the proper functioning of government, not to prevent appropriate scrutiny of conflicts of interest.’
He said Lord Hermer’s refusal to come clean about his role risked ‘undermining public confidence’ in the Government, adding: ‘Several of these matters represent some of the most contentious issues in our political and legal life, with implications for public expenditure and national security.’
Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s independent adviser on standards, was copied into the letter, which also referenced Lord Hermer acting for human rights group Liberty in 2020 in the case of jihadi bride Shamima Begum, arguing she should be allowed to return to the UK.
Lord Hermer was an eminent KC before Keir Starmer (pictured) appointed him as Attorney General
Lord Wolfson, shadow attorney general, said: ‘Neither legal privilege, nor convention, nor parliamentary standing orders prevent the Attorney General from confirming if he has recused himself from advising ministers on matters involving his own former clients.’
A Government spokesman said: ‘The Attorney General has properly declared interests from his previous role.’
