Government ‘subverting rule of law' in Colston case

Intervention of attorney general ‘Trumpian’ and ‘disgraceful’, say lawyers and campaigners (PA)

- ADAM FORREST and NADINE WHITE

The government has been of trying to “subvert” the justice system after the attorney general announced that she may refer the Colston statue case to the Court of Appeal.

Lawyers, campaigners and opposition parties condemned Suella Braverman after she said the jury verdict had “caused confusion”. Four people were cleared of criminal damage after they toppled a monument of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol.

Speaking to The Independent, Peter Herbert, a retired judge and chair of the Society of Black Lawyers, described the attorney general’s intervention as “a disgrace”.

He said: “The Court of Appeal has no role to play in this acquittal … Her involvement smacks of institutional racism, demonstrating the need to defend the narrative of slavery and oppression, the direct link to colonialism, and therefore to present day injustices.”

Labour accused the attorney general of “playing politics” with the jury system after Ms Braverman said she was “carefully considering” whether to refer the outcome to senior judges to give them a chance to clarify the law. “The attorney general has a duty to uphold democracy, the rule of law and the sanctity of the jury system – not play political games when she doesn’t like the results,” said Emily Thornberry, the shadow attorney general.

The barrister defending one of the so-called “Colston Four” in Bristol told The Independent the attorney general’s move amounted to “Trumpian” behaviour.