Labour ministers’ knives out for Keir Starmer’s legislation chief they name the ‘Herminator’
Sir Keir Starmer’s embattled top legal adviser Lord Hermer has been branded the ‘Herminator’ over claims he blocks legislation.
Ministers and their aides also reportedly refer to Lord Hermer’s department as the ‘Anti-Government Office’ rather than Attorney General’s Office due to his approach.
He has come under fire for his role in handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and failing to challenge court rulings that benefit the IRA and banning some arms sales to Israel.
Questions have also been raised about the clients he represented as a lawyer, including a 9/11 terror attack plotter, jihadi bride Shamima Begum and Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams.
His approach has garnered the government’s chief law officer a reputation for delaying legislation with his overly legalistic approach, according to the Sunday Times.
It reported that multiple concerns have been raised within Government about the appointment of Lord Hermer, Sir Keir’s junior when they were human rights lawyers.
Some in Whitehall are said to describe him as the ‘Herminator’ and a ‘blocker’ due to his belief in international law, which is allegedly holding back reforms to bring about growth.
He is said to be tipped for a reshuffle which could come after local elections in May and before the summer recess.
Ministers have branded Attorney General Lord Hermer the ‘Herminator’, amid concerns his legalistic approach has given him a reputation for delaying legislation
Lord Hermer was Sir Keir Starmer’s junior when they were both human rights lawyers
The Attorney General has also come under fire for his role in the handover of the Chagos Islands (pictured) to Mauritius
It follows weeks of negative stories about the AG and his work for controversial clients including jihadi bride Shamima Begum and ex-Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.
Comments emerged in which he stood by discredited former lawyer Phil Shiner who brought cases accusing the armed forces of murdering civilians abroad.
Lord Hermer has also refused to declare his financial interests, including possible arrears payments from former clients, breaking with the convention for former attorneys general.
Sir Keir has defended his friend and colleague by arguing that lawyers should not be assumed to share the views of those they represent.
But ministers are also privately questioning the AG’s ability to do his job, according to the paper.
Lord Glasman, a Labour peer, said last week of the lawyer: ‘He’s got to go. He is the absolute archetype of an arrogant, progressive fool who thinks that law is a replacement for politics.’
In response, a senior source told the paper: ‘[Lord Glasman] was saying out loud what everyone else is saying privately. At this point, the only people who think he is a good thing are Natural England.’
The reference comes after bats and disputes over newts were cited as reasons for delaying key infrastructure projects.
Questions have also been raised about the clients Lord Hermer has represented, including former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams (pictured)
Lord Hermer also previously provided legal representation for jihadi bride Shamima Begum (pictured)
One Whitehall official told the paper that Lord Hermer was becoming increasingly obstructive, adding: ‘Everyone understood that he’d need some time to find his feet in Westminster and for the first three months, that’s what he seemed to be doing: getting to know how politics worked.
‘He is now rampaging around like a bull in a china shop.’
The official said that he was acting as a ‘blocker on half the legislation emanating from departments across Whitehall’.
However, two ministers defended the AG, with one saying his contributions had been ‘incredibly helpful and constructive’ and another sating he was a ‘mainstream, pragmatic person’.
