There is mounting frustration with attorney general Richard Hermer among government insiders. Clearly enough in the pre-emptive and extremely wide briefing this week that he was threatening to block US bombers going from the base on Diego Garcia…
A Downing Street source tells Guido Hermer’s obstruction continues to cause blockages. His work on duty of candour obligations – which Labour promised to apply to all public authorities through the Hillsborough Law – has caused massive delays. One source said:
“He managed to add months of work for zero value and we are back where we started.”
Guido hears Starmer’s veteran fixer Pat McFadden along with Nick Thomas Symonds and Shabana Mahmood are particularly incensed by Hermer. Sources say the attorney general is offering legal advice when it has not been asked for – to the chagrin of ministers…
Despite pressure on the PM from insiders to get rid of Richard the PM is still backing his human rights lawyer friend. He has weathered waves of briefings before. Starmer would be taking a jump into the unknown by dropping his old world mate – something only a leader would do…
In Henry Mance’s piece today for the FT, lunching with Nigel Farage:
“Splendido!” Farage says, when the drinks arrive; I suppose it’s a step to European reconciliation. We clink glasses, and he lights the first of two back-to-back Benson & Hedges. A few minutes later, we’re back downstairs. “Are you drinking? Good.” He orders a glass of Sauvignon blanc for each of us — not a bottle, “because it’s Lent” — followed by a bottle of claret, to have with our meal. They say Farage drinks less than he used to. They say a lot of things.”