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At Labour fringe event Attorney General tells of mission to ‘reassert to rule of law’
Addressing a fringe event at Labour conference, the Jewish human rights expert Richard Hermer KC insisted government took all decisions in 'good faith'
New Attorney General Richard Hermer KC has attempted to explain how a Keir Starmer government intends to “reassert the rule of law and promote and protect human rights.”
Speaking at a fringe event outside the Labour conference zone, held by civil rights lawyer and former shadow attorney general Shami Chakrabarti, Alyth Gardens Synagogue member Lord Hermer said both the government, NGAs and other organisations had “a huge task” to counter “this enormous wave and threat of populism.”
Appearing at Tuesday evening’s event in Liverpool, said he did not believe “it was an accident” that Starmer had appointed a human rights lawyer of 30 years standing into the role of chief legal advisor to the Crown.
Hermer jokingly at one stage described himself as a “bit of a geek” who was deeply interested in theory around human rights.
The barrister said he had never hidden 30 years of dedication to human rights and working with human rights organisations adding he believes his appointment “reflects the determination of the government to try to reassert the rule of law and to promote human rights.”
While he did not refer to the controversial decision he approved earlier this month to announce a partial suspension by the UK of arms export licenses to Israel, Hermer said the government made decisions “on good faith” which “undoubtedly have human rights linked in” to them.
Hermer was earlier this year among a group of top Jewish lawyers who signed a letter calling on Israel to observe international laws in its response to the Hamas terror attacks of October 7th.
But speaking to an audience made up primarily of human rights lawyers, and NGOs Hermer told them:”We are going to do things in government you are not going to like.”
He added there would be two differences though with Starmer’s government. Firstly would be the respect for the rule of law and human rights, and secondly, would be the wish to enter into dialogue with those holding differing views.
“There has been an undermining of the rule of law,” said Hermer. “The human rights community has been vilified for standing up for what they believe in. You may not like what we do, you may disagree with what we do, but we want to hear from you, we want to engage in dialogue.”
Hermer also heaped praise on Chakrabarti’s new book Human Rights The Case For The Defence, which she promoted at the event.
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