UK Faces "Disintegration" if it Abandons International Law, Warns Attorney General
The UK government faces a stark warning that it will become "less prosperous and secure" if it adopts a pick-and-mix approach to international law. The Attorney General, Richard Hermer, has launched a robust defence of international law and multilateral frameworks, stating that they have "kept us safe since 1945".
In a speech at the Royal United Services Institute, Hermer rebuked Conservative critics, including the leader of the Conservatives, Kemi Badenoch, and the shadow attorney general, David Wolfson, who have accused ministers of rigidly following international law. Hermer argued that their approach would provide "succour to [Vladimir] Putin" and make the UK "less prosperous and secure in a troubled world".
Hermer, a human rights lawyer and former colleague of Keir Starmer, was appointed as the government’s chief law officer when Labour entered office last summer. He has faced criticism over his past clients and the government’s decision to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after an advisory ruling by the international court of justice.
According to The Guardian, Hermer defended the government’s approach, saying it was "a rejection of the siren song that can sadly now be heard in the Palace of Westminster, not to mention some sections of the media, that Britain abandon the constraints of international law in favour of raw power". He accused Tory critics of making arguments more suited to "a university debating chamber" than the real world.
"The claim that international law is fine as far as it goes, but can be put aside when the conditions change, is a claim that was made in the early 1930s by ‘realist’ jurists in Germany, most notably Carl Schmitt, whose central thesis was in essence the claim that state power is all that counts, not law," Hermer said. He added that this approach would lead to the "disintegration" of the international rules-based framework.
Hermer also criticised the previous Conservative government, particularly Boris Johnson, who served as foreign secretary and then prime minister, for undermining the UK’s reputation on the world stage. "No one can sensibly argue that the bombast of Johnson increased the standing of the United Kingdom in the globe – that people took us more seriously as a result of his shtick, that either allies or adversaries were impressed by the doctrine of ‘cakeism’ or thought our reputation or reliability enhanced by legislating to deliberately breach international law," he said.
The Attorney General also criticised the Rwanda deportation scheme and Liz Truss’s refusal in 2022 to say whether France was a "friend or foe". He argued that it is a great British value to say that we want to make the world a better, safer, and more prosperous place. "There is no contradiction in our view between approaching the world with both a hard head but also a warm heart," he said.
Hermer also acknowledged that international law was "incomplete" and "must be critiqued and reformed and improved". He added that states agreeing to treaties did not give an open-ended licence for international rules to be ever more expansively interpreted or for institutions to adopt a position of blindness or indifference to public sentiment in their member states.
The government is currently reviewing how article 8 of the Human Rights Act, which enshrines the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in domestic law, is being applied to allow people arriving by unauthorised routes to stay in the UK.
As The Guardian reports, Hermer’s speech highlights the ongoing debate about the UK’s approach to international law. The Attorney General’s comments are seen as a significant intervention in the discussion, emphasising the importance of upholding international law and multilateral frameworks.
In conclusion, the UK faces a critical juncture in its approach to international law. As Hermer warns, adopting a pick-and-mix approach could lead to the country’s "disintegration" and make it "less prosperous and secure". The government’s stance on international law will have significant implications for the UK’s reputation on the world stage and its relationships with other nations.
The article is based on a report by The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/29/pick-and-mix-approach-to-international-law-will-make-uk-less-secure-says-attorney-general.
