UK Attorney General Lord Hermer has handed himself an ‘effective veto’ over government policy, according to reports.
Documents seen by The Telegraph suggest he has watered down instructions issued by Suella Braverman in 2022 to prevent lawyers from ‘blocking’ plans.
It is alleged Lord Hermer has made a number of changes to the guidance given to government lawyers by the Attorney General.
These include the addition of a new ‘snitch clause’, calling on civil servants to tell him if ministers may be about to break the law.
In total, Lord Hermer is said to have added 23 references to international law to the guidance, which is issued to lawyers on how they should advise elected politicians.
Lawyers are also told to assume that ever decision taken by a government minister could face a legal challenge.
This is understood to be a change from previous advice which stated that such an outcome was unlikely.
Lord Hermer has recently come under fire from Cabinet ministers amid allegations he has tried to block government policy with spurious legal objections.
UK Attorney General Lord Hermer (pictured) has handed himself an ‘effective veto’ over government policy, according to reports
Just last month he was accused of ‘blocking’ Britain from defending Israel against Iran strikes.
Despite the UK previously coming to the aid of its ally, Lord Hermer is said to have warned against intervention during the brief war last month.
He is also said to have played a major role in ‘surrendering’ the Chagos Islands, the UK’s last territory in the Indian Ocean, to adhere to a non-binding ruling by the International Court of Justice.
The alleged changes to the guidance issued to government lawyers have been criticised by Conservatives.
Sir Michael Ellis, a former Conservative attorney general, said Lord Hermer had ‘effectively given himself a veto over all government business’.
‘It is quite something if ministers of the crown within the same Government cannot be trusted, and have to be snitched on by their own officials,’ he added in comments made to The Telegraph.
Meanwhile, shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart branded the guidance a ‘surrender charter’.
He said: ‘Measures like the snitch clause will undermine discussion across government and harm our national interest.
Documents seen by The Telegraph suggest he has watered down instructions issued by Suella Braverman (right) in 2022 to prevent lawyers from ‘blocking’ plans
‘Keir Starmer’s Attorney General is putting the partisan views of activist lawyers before the national interest.’
A source close to Lord Hermer branded the allegations against him as ‘desperate nonsense from the Tory party’ in a comment made to the Telegraph.
A spokesman for the Attorney General said: ‘We are getting on with delivering the Plan for Change, from getting NHS waiting lists down, to rolling out free breakfast clubs in primary schools, expanding free school meals, and creating growth, wealth and opportunity for all.
‘Government lawyers advise ministers, but it is always ministers that make decisions on policy as has been the case under successive governments.’
MailOnline has contacted the Attorney General for further comment.
