Dominic Raab had a confident dispatch box moment late yesterday afternoon, when he pointed out David Lammy has backed himself into a corner of his own making in opposing the government’s Judicial Review Bill. Part of the Bill includes the abolition of “Cart” judicial reviews, which Raab argues are broadly unsuccessful while delaying the deportation of people with no right to be in the country. Awkwardly for Labour, the Blair government proposed an even broader power in their own Bill in 2003 before dropping it due to outcry. The minister pushing through the changes at the time? David Lammy…

Raab confronted Lammy on his past judicial reforming zeal:

“I would be interested to know whether Labour will support us in this matter. I have done my homework – the right hon. Member for Tottenham is laughing – but if Labour plans to vote against this Bill on the basis of Cart, I would point out that the shadow Justice Secretary personally proposed a much broader so-called ouster clause back in 2003 in Labour’s Asylum and Immigration Bill…

It was the Asylum and Immigration Bill back in 2003. It did not have any of the exceptions and it was not as constrained as the Bill before the House today. He did not just support the measure; he proposed the measure.”

Midway through Lammy heckled out a feeble excuse: He was “young and naïve”…