AG under spotlight

The Constitutional Affairs Committee has decided to inquire into the constitutional position of the Attorney General—Lord Goldsmith—after the decision to abandon the Serious Fraud Office inquiry into alleged corruption in BAE Systems’ arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Alan Beith, who chairs the influential committee, says the inquiry will examine the functions of the Attorney General vis-à-vis his role as superintending minister for legal services provided in government, including the Crown Prosecution Service, and will consider whether this role conflicts with his duties as a member of the government. “In the light of recent events where the [Lord Goldsmith] has had to make decisions about highly political subjects involving prosecutions, the constitutional role of the Attorney General as part of the framework of upholding the rule of law has taken on an unusual importance,” Beith adds.