Attorney General Lord Hermer is facing mounting political criticism after it emerged he previously provided free legal advice to a charity that helps migrants resist deportation from the UK.
In 2019, Lord Hermer worked pro bono for Bail for Immigration Detainees (BiD), a legal advocacy organisation that is now actively advising migrants on how to challenge deportations under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s new UK-France returns agreement. The “one in, one out” deal aims to speed up the removal of migrants who enter the UK illegally via small boats across the Channel.
The controversy comes after the Home Office managed to deport just one migrant earlier, following several days of successful legal challenges. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has reportedly expressed frustration over the delays, blaming vexatious last-minute claims for stalling removals.
Lord Hermer, who has a long history with BiD, first represented the charity as a barrister in 2005. He formally ended his association with the organisation when he entered government last year as Attorney General.
BiD’s 2019 annual report thanked all barristers who had volunteered their time to support the charity’s clients in court. That year, BiD provided advice or legal representation to 121 people, launched seven full deportation appeals, and succeeded in three. Lord Hermer was one of only two King’s Counsels volunteering at the time, making him one of the charity’s most senior legal supporters.
Critics have pointed to Lord Hermer’s prior human rights work as a potential conflict of interest. He previously represented former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams in a controversial case brought by IRA bomb victims, which is expected to go to trial next year.
BiD, founded in 1999, describes itself as a human rights and legal support charity focused on immigration detention. It has received backing from left-leaning foundations and private philanthropists. Though it previously engaged with the Home Office under earlier governments, that relationship has since ended.
In August, BiD published a 12-page legal guide for migrants detained and facing removal to France. The guide advises individuals to act quickly, secure legal representation, and consider emergency High Court applications to fight their deportation orders.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has called for Lord Hermer’s immediate dismissal, accusing him of prioritising the interests of illegal immigrants over national security.
“As a barrister, he didn’t have to take these cases, he chose to,” Philp said. “Just like Starmer, he clearly cares more about keeping illegal immigrants and foreign criminals in the UK than protecting our borders or the British public. Starmer should sack him immediately.”
Philp’s criticism also extended to other barristers formerly associated with BiD. Among those praised in the 2019 report was Franck Magennis, a lawyer who represented Hamas in a failed attempt to remove the group from the UK’s list of proscribed terrorist organisations. Magennis has also called for the formation of direct action groups following the banning of Palestine Action.
Another name on the list was Greg Ó Ceallaigh KC, now a judge overseeing asylum and deportation appeals. Before joining the bench, he had reposted social media content supporting the decriminalisation of illegal migration and described the Conservative Party as needing to be dealt with as you would deal with the Nazis.
A source close to Lord Hermer dismissed the allegations of impropriety, stating: “The idea that any lawyer should be held accountable for the activity of an organisation they once represented particularly twenty years later is clearly preposterous.”
They added that Lord Hermer ceased private practice upon accepting his government role and that robust checks are in place to prevent any conflict of interest.
A spokesperson for the government said: “We will do whatever it takes to end vexatious, last-minute claims, and we will robustly defend the British public’s priorities in court. The Home Office has no dealings with this charity.”
A spokesperson for BiD also defended the organisation’s mission, saying: “We reject any suggestion that we help people beat the system. BiD provides legal advice to ensure access to justice in line with the UK’s legal frameworks and regulations.”
