Time to end this conflict of interest on law chief

An extraordinary day at Holyrood yesterday saw the Lord Advocate forced to deny allegations that she is “corrupt”.

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This ancient office dates back to the 15th century, when the King’s Advocate acted as adviser to the monarch.

After the Acts of Union, the Lord Advocate was the chief legal adviser to the British Government and the Crown on Scottish legal matters, both civil and criminal.

The modern version of the role came into being with the Scotland Act 1998, and its dual nature has been problematic ever since. This is because the Lord Advocate is both the head of the country’s prosecution service AND the chief legal adviser to the Scottish Government.

Calls for this great office of state to be split in two date back almost as long as devolution itself.