Downing Street Insists Hermer Policy Veto Is in “Interests of Everyone” – Guido Fawkes

Downing Street Insists Hermer Policy Veto Is in “Interests of Everyone”

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After attorney general Richard Hermer changed the government-wide legal advice to make it more restrictive and give himself an effective veto over policy the government has been forced to insist it is still Labour ministers who are making policy. Farcical…

Starmer’s spokesman said this afternoon that “policy decisions are always for ministers to decide” and failed to deny that the official legal advice had been changed, saying instead “the situation is unchanged in that it is always for ministers to make policy.” Not so…

Guido hears Hermer’s obstructiveness has destroyed months of work from ministers and civil servants on the Hillsborough Law – set to introduce a duty of candour on public officials. Chatter around the legislation has suggested that Labour would resort to scrapping that duty instead because it was too difficult. Starmer was forced to insist last week: “We will bring this forward – I just want to take the time to get it right.” Labour has overshot its own deadline to introduce the legislation by three months…

Hermer has instructed officials to snitch on their ministers in order for him to intervene on policy decisions. Downing Street says that his “frank legal advice” is helpful and it is in the “interests of everyone for the system to work properly.” Guido is reliably informed Starmer is one of Hermer’s last remaining friends in government…