The British Government's top law officer Attorney General Suella Braverman who advised Boris Johnson to rip up the NI Protocol

The Government’s top law officer declared her love for Britain and named her heroes when challenged over the leak of Brexit legal advice.

           Thursday 26th May,2022.  

Attorney General Suella Braverman sidestepped a call from Labour to say if she played a role in the Northern Ireland Protocol briefings.

Thursday 26th May, 2022. 

Instead, she began comparing herself to her Labour counterpart and told the Commons: “My heroes are Churchill and Thatcher, hers are Lenin and Corbyn.”

Shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry was left open-mouthed at the response and complained that Ms Braverman had failed to answer the question, with Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing intervening to remind MPs of the need to “stick to the specific subject of the question”.

    Attorney General Suella Braverman

The protocol is aimed at avoiding a hard border with Ireland but has created a series of economic barriers on Irish Sea trade.

The UK Government last week announced its intention to table legislation at Westminster that would override parts of the protocol without the approval of the EU, amid the ongoing power-sharing impasse at Stormont.

For Labour, Ms Thornberry told the Commons: “The Attorney General has said again today that there’s a long-standing convention that prevents her discussing either the fact or the content of her legal advice on the Northern Ireland Protocol, which makes it all the more remarkable that on Wednesday May 11 The Times newspaper and BBC Newsnight not only disclosed the fact of her legal advice but actually quoted from its contents.

“So, can I ask the Attorney General one very straightforward question, which only requires a yes or no answer: did she personally authorise the briefings to The Times and to Newsnight regarding her advice on the protocol, yes or no?”

Ms Braverman replied: “I take the convention incredibly seriously; it is a running thread through the integrity and robustness and the frankness with which law officers can provide advice.

“I don’t comment on media speculation and that is the Government’s line.”

She went on to defend the Government’s proposals, before adding: “There are big differences between (Ms Thornberry) and myself and I’m very disappointed at the line of attack that she is taking.

“I love the United Kingdom; the right honourable lady is embarrassed by our flag.

“I’m proud of the leadership the United Kingdom has demonstrated, and the right honourable lady wants us to be run by Brussels and wants to scrap Trident.

“My heroes are Churchill and Thatcher, hers are Lenin and Corbyn.”

In 2014, Ms Thornberry was sacked from the Labour frontbench for a tweet apparently sneering at a white van driver’s display of the cross of St George on his house months after the World Cup.

Earlier, DUP MP Ian Paisley (North Antrim) said the Government is “well within its rights” to bring forward legislation to “protect the integrity” of the UK’s single economic market and the union.

He said: “Could the Attorney General take the opportunity today at the despatch box to spell out to the misinformed US Congress delegation visiting Northern Ireland that defending and upholding and protecting the union is consistent with the New Decade, New Approach agreement and consistent with the Belfast Agreement?”

Mr Paisley asked the Government to bring forward legislation before the summer recess in July.

Ms Braverman replied: “The Bill that is proposed will take vital steps to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom, our precious union and protect peace, which is cemented by the Belfast Agreement.”

She said the proposals are “consistent” with the Belfast Agreement and Northern Ireland’s “place within the United Kingdom”, adding: “I urge all members here and parliamentarians abroad to support them.”

With many thanks to the: News Letter and the PA Reporter for the original publication. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story and more information and on Suella Braverman the British Attorney General: When even the Attorney General flouts the law what hope does Britain have - Suella Braverman.

Two-thirds 63% of NI think Brexit has made a United Ireland more likely

UK risks its reputation if it breaches the NI Protocol, warns May

UK must accept border on Irish Sea is inevitable, says ex-WTO chief.

‘My heroes are Churchill and Thatcher’: Attorney General Suella Braverman’s response to Northern Ireland Protocol question

Doorways to justice slammed shut by cold, calculating Tories

    VICTIMS TOLD TO FORGIVE AND     FORGET IN NEW BEACH OF HUMAN                              RIGHTS

AT the stroke of a pen the British government, not for the first time, trampled on their citizens' most basic human rights.

         THERE IS NO BRITISH JUSTICE 

The *orthern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill is the official name for the blanket they intend to cast over what they did here. In their desperation to protect the reputation of rogue soldiers and cover up the activities of spymasters, Special Branch, MI5 and others, they've once again slapped thousands of people in the face. 

The LIE'S HAVE IT!... 

And once again they put the pressure on the victims and survivors of the conflict because this legislation intends to force them to forgive the killers of their loved ones. Accessing the justice system is the most basic of human rights, but Brandon Lewis (Secretary of State for NI) and his Tory legislators have cruelly yanked that carpet from under our feet. 

     @BrandonLewis and the Tory Party          need to get their own house in order               before lecturing us about ours. 

The notion of reconciliation is enshrined in the right to justice. Is Lewis seriously trying to sell us the idea that by telling victims any hope of getting closure is gone, they will simply say "ah well forgive and forget, now what's for tea"? It's nonsense and it's brutal. The creation of a commission for truth and recovery is simply a red herring. Anyone guilty of a conflict-related crime between 1966 and 1998 is free to confess their sins in return for having their reputations cleaned and handed a get-out-of-jail free card. 

What happens if they incriminate someone else and that person doesn't want to co-operate? It's a mess and will almost certainly be tested in a court of law.

.      European Court of Human Rights 

It is surely a breach of the European Conversation of Human Rights, which, in case you have forgotten, remains enshrined in British law - for now. The Tories have already indicated they intend to further erode people's rights by repealing it. Victims have had to fight tooth and nail, in some cases for more than half a century, to secure some semblance of justice for their loved ones. Lewis has removed their right to use the justice system. Given that the murders of 3,000 of the 3,600 killed remain unsolved, they have had to live with the knowledge that convictions were unlikely. 

They've had to live with state cover-ups, corrupt police and woeful investigative process, but they fought on. 

It took the Ballymurphy families 40 years to finally clear their loved ones' names. Does Lewis actually think the ghosts of the past will be exorcised by forcing people to forgive? Victims have been ignored, abused and treated like something unpleasant on the sole of a British soldier's boot. They don't even have a right to an inquest, all doorways to justice have been slammed shut by a condescending government with a patronising pat on the head. 

He may want to, but Lewis can't pretend the conflict didn't happen and hope he can bury British bad behaviour. Victims have spent generations making their voice heard - they won't stop now. 

With many thanks to: The Sunday World and Richard Sullivan for the original publication.

Follow these links to find out more on this story and more information on MI5 and British security services: British Government tried to prevent BBC News exposing MI5 Agent who used his secret status to terrorise and sexually abuse his partner.

Saoradh-linked informer 'in state protective custody'