The head of the United Kingdom’s Legal Department has quit in a disagreement with Attorney General, Suella Braverman over plans to override parts of the deal arrived with the European Union on the status of Northern Ireland.
A spokesman for Ms Braverman’s office confirmed Sir Jonathan Jones (pictured), the Public Service’s senior legal adviser to the Government, had resigned but refused to comment further.
Earlier it emerged the Government was planning to table proposals to give Ministers unilateral legal powers to oversee elements of the Northern Ireland protocol.
Sources confirmed that Sir Jonathan had clashed with Ms Braverman over points of law on several occasions, but most recently over her interpretation of the EU agreement.
He is believed to have raised questions about whether Government plans to override the agreement, reached by the EU as part of the UK’s withdrawal, were in breach of the Ministerial code, which obliged Ministers to follow the law.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis told Parliament the plan “does break international law in a very specific and limited way”.
“There are clear precedents for the UK, and indeed other countries, needing to consider their international obligations as circumstances change,” Mr Lewis said.
Sir Jonathan sent a leaving email to staff in the Legal Department that did not explain why he had stood down, but praised their work on the legal complexities of leaving the EU.
Professor of International Law at University College London, Philippe Sands said he believed that for Sir Jonathan, the dispute over breaking the international agreement with the EU was “the final straw” following other disputes.
“His going raises very serious questions for other Civil Servants on offering legal advice. It also raises very serious questions about the UK’s commitment to rule of law,” Mr Sands said.
London, 10 September 2020
