Labour’s Richard Hermer problem
Keir Starmer surprised his colleagues during his first week in power when he appointed his old friend Richard Hermer KC as Attorney General. Emily Thornberry, the holder of the role in opposition, was banished to the backbenches. Senior Labour figures had sensed something was afoot. ‘Sue [Gray] was keeping those transition talks under lock and key,’ recalls one Labour bigwig. The idea was that Starmer would have a trusted, authoritative voice to turn to on legal matters. The pair are old pals; Starmer even gave a toast when Hermer took silk in 2009. His appointment, however, has come with baggage. Hermer’s former clients include Sri Lankan refugees to the Chagos
