06/06/2026
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Who is Lord Hermer and why is he considered a controversial figure in UK politics?
Hello, welcome to Political Thinking. He's a liberal lefty lawyer from North London who cares more about the human rights of illegal migrants and criminals than the rights of ordinary people. That is what the critics sometimes say of Keir Starmer. They also say it... of my guest on Political Thinking this week, the Attorney General, Lord Hermer. Richard Hermer is Starmer's friend, his ally, and a colleague for many years when both were working barristers. He was parachuted into the House of Lords so he could become the government's top legal advisor. Lord Homer is an unapologetic champion of both international law and human rights law, which has made him the man that many on the right love to hate. He's a politician you rarely see or hear.
Indeed, this is his first full-length broadcast interview. But his advice affects us all, whether it's on illegal migration, the war with Iran, or lenient sentences handed down to teenage rapists.
Lord Irma, Richard Irma, Attorney General, welcome to Political Thinking. Nick, thanks so much. A real pleasure to be here. I mentioned that you're the hate figure. Yeah, thanks for that. Nice easy intro. Well, sorry, it's going to get worse, I'm afraid. When I'm reading in, I find phrases like useful idiot for Britain's enemies, the least patriotic man ever, in capital letters, to hold high office, arrogant progressive fool. I mean, these are really unpleasant things. When you read them, when you hear them, do they make you downed? Do they make you angry or do they make you defy them? It's all them, I'll show them.
Well, kind of neither really, Nick. I kind of deal with them in two ways. First, on a personal level... I'm 57 years of age. I'm not particularly bothered by newspapers that I knew were going to attack me for my cases because I saw what they had done to Keir when he was leader of the opposition. So I knew this was coming. Keir warned me it would come. So on a personal level, I'm untroubled by it because I know what's behind it, which is a political attack. It is frankly a bit weird. seeing your face in a newspaper. I spent my entire career trying to go under the radar. I never tweeted in my life. On big cases, I'd go behind the back of court to avoid the cameras. So it's a bit weird. But there is a point, there is another point behind it that I do find a bit more troubling.
So firstly, it's kind of an attack on an important part of our rule of law institution, which is that lawyers act for people without fear or favour. You wouldn't attack you because of a source or who you happen to interview. You wouldn't attack a doctor because of the nature of their patient. And so our legal system depends upon lawyers being able to do their job. And just to finish that point, because there's another point as well, it's a part of a wider attack by certain segments of society on other kind of parts of institutions that are important to this country. Judges, the media, civil service. Finally on this, the one bit that does trouble me is the suggestion that somehow patriotism becomes the preserve of only one particular party.
So some of those criticisms suggest that I'm not patriotic. I mean, that is rubbish. I love this country. I'm deeply patriotic. I love working. In fact, the joy, the privilege of this job is day in, I get to work with our extraordinary armed services and our extraordinary intelligence community. So the suggestion... That there should be a tension between being a lawyer, acting for your clients in conformity of your professional duties. A tension with that and patriotism. I just don't buy it. The other bit of the
description, which was less insulting, but you may still dislike. North London liberal lefty mate of Keir Starmer. I might suggest it's pretty accurate, isn't it? No,
I'm a
Cardiff boy. Come on. Oh, hold on. Where do you live now? Oh, yeah. All
right. All right. Fair enough. But I am Cardiff born and bred. I am the product of a state school education from Cardiff.
How does Lord Hermer describe his personal background and early legal career?
Who now lives in
Northumberland. Yeah. But, you know, so do millions of people. And I'm proud to live in North London.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
Who is Lord Hermer and why is he considered a controversial figure in UK politics?
0:00–3:58
2
How does Lord Hermer describe his personal background and early legal career?
3:58–13:42
3
What does the Attorney General say about the limits of his role in government decision‑making?
13:42–32:16
4
How did Lord Hermer advise the government on the Iran conflict and the use of UK bases?
32:16–35:52
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from Political Thinking with Nick Robinson
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