Britain Needs a New Attorney General: Remove Lord Hermer

Britain is about to get a new Prime Minister. With new leadership must come a new direction. That new direction cannot begin while Lord Hermer remains Attorney General.

The Attorney General occupies one of the highest legal offices in the United Kingdom. As the Government's chief legal adviser, the Attorney General provides advice on major legal questions and oversees key government legal bodies. Because the office has significant influence over the Government's legal position on major constitutional and national issues, appointments to the role often attract close public and parliamentary scrutiny.

Lord Hermer has become one of the most controversial Attorneys General in modern British history. His tenure has become closely associated with legal advice and constitutional decisions that many people believe have weakened Britain's position, undermined public confidence and relied on contested interpretations of international law at the expense of Britain's national interest.

His name has become synonymous with the deeply controversial Chagos surrender, which would transfer British sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, commit British taxpayers to decades of payments and disregard the principle of self-determination by ignoring the wishes of British Chagossians themselves.

Many British veterans and their families have also expressed grave concern over the Government's plans to repeal key parts of the Northern Ireland Legacy Act, fearing that former servicemen could once again face investigations into events from decades ago after believing those matters had finally been settled.

These are not the only issues that have attracted public attention. Lord Hermer has also faced scrutiny over matters relating to immigration and asylum, environmental and climate litigation, and his role as Attorney General in relation to the prosecution of Lucy Connolly and others.

For many people, they represent a pattern of decisions that has fundamentally damaged confidence in one of the highest constitutional offices in the United Kingdom.

The Attorney General should be the Government's foremost defender of Britain's interests. The British people deserve an Attorney General who will protect our sovereignty, defend those who have served our country, uphold democratic accountability, respect the rights of British citizens and provide legal advice that commands the confidence of the nation.

Now is the time to act.

Every signature will be added to our open letter to Andy Burnham, Al Carns and any other candidate seeking to become the next Prime Minister. It doesn't matter which political party you support — the Prime Minister and the Attorney General work for every British citizen.

This is people power in action. Together, we can send a message that cannot be ignored. When you sign, your name and message will be added to our open letter to those seeking to lead our country.

Make your voice count. Tell the next Prime Minister that Britain has lost confidence in Lord Hermer. Tell them Britain needs a new Attorney General. Sign the petition today.

Stand up and be counted for your country. Thank you.

Our open letter to the next Prime Minister

Dear Mr Burnham / Mr Carns,

As you seek the leadership of the Labour Party and, potentially, the office of Prime Minister, you have an opportunity to demonstrate from your very first day in office that your leadership will represent genuine change.

One decision will send that message more clearly than almost any other. Will you appoint a new Attorney General?

Lord Hermer has become one of the most controversial holders of that office in recent history. For many people across Britain, his tenure has come to symbolise a legal philosophy that has too often relied upon contested interpretations of international law in ways that critics believe have undermined Britain's sovereignty, security and democratic decision-making.

His name has become closely associated with the deeply controversial Chagos agreement, under which Britain would transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands while committing British taxpayers to decades of payments. Critics argue that relinquishing British sovereignty over territory that is home to the strategically vital Diego Garcia military base, only for the UK and its allies to lease it back from Mauritius, is a deeply flawed arrangement that risks undermining Britain's long-term strategic interests and national security.

Many British Chagossians have also argued that their fundamental right to self-determination has been ignored, saying decisions about the future of their homeland have been taken without their consent or meaningful involvement.

Many British veterans and their families have also expressed profound concern over the Government's plans to repeal key parts of the Northern Ireland Legacy Act, fearing that former servicemen could once again face investigations into events that occurred decades ago while serving their country.

Whether or not every criticism is accepted, there can be little doubt that Lord Hermer has become one of the most divisive Attorneys General in modern times. His continued tenure has become a lightning rod for controversy and risks overshadowing the work of any incoming Prime Minister.

Every decision involving Lord Hermer now attracts intense public scrutiny and renewed controversy. Instead of allowing a new government to move forward with a fresh mandate, his continued presence risks ensuring that political attention remains focused on the unresolved controversies of the previous administration.

A new Prime Minister deserves the opportunity to begin with a clean slate, not to inherit months of continued controversy surrounding the actions and advice of their predecessor's Attorney General.

The Attorney General is one of the highest constitutional offices in the United Kingdom. The holder of that office should command public confidence, provide legal advice that protects Britain's sovereignty and security, uphold democratic accountability and support those who have served our nation.

Thousands of people from across the United Kingdom are signing this letter because they believe Britain needs a fresh start.

We therefore ask you to make a clear commitment to the British people. If you become Prime Minister, will you appoint a new Attorney General?

The British people deserve a direct answer. We respectfully ask you to provide one.

Yours sincerely,
On behalf of thousands of British citizens calling for a new Attorney General.