This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/07/prime-minister-imposes-new-layer-secrecy-cabinet-brexit-legal-advice
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Theresa May imposes new layer of secrecy on Brexit legal advice | Theresa May imposes new layer of secrecy on Brexit legal advice |
| (25 days later) | |
| The convention that legal advice to the cabinet is never published is enforced by the ministerial code. That ban has not halted successive demands for greater political openness. | The convention that legal advice to the cabinet is never published is enforced by the ministerial code. That ban has not halted successive demands for greater political openness. |
| Theresa May’s decision to prevent cabinet ministers from seeing the full text of the Brexit guidance provided by the attorney general, Geoffrey Cox QC, appears, however, to introduce an additional restriction on the circulation of information at the highest levels of government. | Theresa May’s decision to prevent cabinet ministers from seeing the full text of the Brexit guidance provided by the attorney general, Geoffrey Cox QC, appears, however, to introduce an additional restriction on the circulation of information at the highest levels of government. |
| Section 2.12 of the ministerial code explicitly declares that if law officers, such as the attorney general, provide legal advice then cabinet ministers should expect to see the entire text. According to reports the environment secretary, Michael Gove, has asked to see the full advice. | Section 2.12 of the ministerial code explicitly declares that if law officers, such as the attorney general, provide legal advice then cabinet ministers should expect to see the entire text. According to reports the environment secretary, Michael Gove, has asked to see the full advice. |
| Cross-party calls grow for Brexit legal advice to be published in full | |
| It reads: “When advice from the law officers is included in correspondence between ministers, or in papers for the cabinet or ministerial committees, the conclusions may if necessary be summarised but, if this is done, the complete text of the advice should be attached.” | It reads: “When advice from the law officers is included in correspondence between ministers, or in papers for the cabinet or ministerial committees, the conclusions may if necessary be summarised but, if this is done, the complete text of the advice should be attached.” |
| Downing Street has so far fallen back on the long-standing first line of defence that the government does not discuss legal advice, “or the existence thereof”. | Downing Street has so far fallen back on the long-standing first line of defence that the government does not discuss legal advice, “or the existence thereof”. |
| The provision of sensitive legal advice to the cabinet has frequently been controversial. The most notorious dispute focused on guidance given by Lord Goldsmith, attorney general in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq war. | The provision of sensitive legal advice to the cabinet has frequently been controversial. The most notorious dispute focused on guidance given by Lord Goldsmith, attorney general in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq war. |
| Goldsmith wrote two opinions on the legality of invading Iraq. The full text of the first version written on 7 March 2003 was also not circulated to members of the Labour cabinet. That complete document did not eventually leak out until two years later during the 2005 election. | Goldsmith wrote two opinions on the legality of invading Iraq. The full text of the first version written on 7 March 2003 was also not circulated to members of the Labour cabinet. That complete document did not eventually leak out until two years later during the 2005 election. |
| Its belated publication prompted a similar outcry over breaches of section 2.12 of the ministerial code and allegations that cabinet ministers had been denied vital information before making crucial decisions. | Its belated publication prompted a similar outcry over breaches of section 2.12 of the ministerial code and allegations that cabinet ministers had been denied vital information before making crucial decisions. |
| Blair says Brexit can still be stopped - Politics live | |
| Demands for the attorney general’s decision to be more widely circulated and, if possible published, are growing. | Demands for the attorney general’s decision to be more widely circulated and, if possible published, are growing. |
| The DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told the BBC Today programme: “I think it’s in the public interest we understand fully what’s happening here. It’s because it affects the whole UK, therefore it shouldn’t just be the DUP that sees this advice, or the government. | The DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told the BBC Today programme: “I think it’s in the public interest we understand fully what’s happening here. It’s because it affects the whole UK, therefore it shouldn’t just be the DUP that sees this advice, or the government. |
| “If the House of Commons is going to have a meaningful vote on a deal, and upon which this legal advice is very, very important, then I think people are entitled to know what that advice is.” | “If the House of Commons is going to have a meaningful vote on a deal, and upon which this legal advice is very, very important, then I think people are entitled to know what that advice is.” |
| Labour’s Brexit spokesman, Sir Keir Starmer, said it was “essential MPs are given the opportunity to scrutinise the attorney general’s legal advice before voting on the final deal. The public have the right to know precisely what the cabinet has signed up to and what the implications are for the future.” | Labour’s Brexit spokesman, Sir Keir Starmer, said it was “essential MPs are given the opportunity to scrutinise the attorney general’s legal advice before voting on the final deal. The public have the right to know precisely what the cabinet has signed up to and what the implications are for the future.” |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| European Union | European Union |
| Foreign policy | Foreign policy |
| Europe | Europe |
| Theresa May | Theresa May |
| Geoffrey Cox | Geoffrey Cox |
| Article 50 | Article 50 |
| analysis | analysis |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |