Lord Advocate

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told First Minister John Swinney that the role of the lord advocate should be reformed in the wake of Operation Branchform and the decision not to charge Nicola Sturgeon. Mr Starmer said the Scottish government should abolish the dual role of the lord advocate who is

An expert report on the division of the dual role of the lord advocate is expected in the coming weeks. The SNP had promised to make progress on considering reform of the role in its 2021 manifesto.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has called on the Scottish government for an update on proposals to split the role of the lord advocate. Mr Jack has asked First Minister Humza Yousaf to explain what is causing the delay on consulting on the separation of the role, as pledged in the SNP's 2021 manife

Joanna Cherry KC has called on her fellow MPs to back a bid to reform the office of lord advocate in order to allay “suspicion of political interference”. Ms Cherry would like the power to vary the office to be devolved to Holyrood. She said concern over the lord advocate's dual role &ld

Joanna Cherry KC MP is to propose that the power to amend the role of Scotland’s law officers be devolved to the Scottish Parliament in a 10-minute rule bill in the House of Commons on Wednesday. At present the lord advocate’s role as head of the systems of criminal prosecution and

Joanna Cherry KC MP is to bring a private members' bill proposing that power to amend the role of Scotland's law officers, including the lord advocate, be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish government is currently considering whether the lord advocate's roles as head of the independen

The Scottish government is considering reforms to the role of the lord advocate, years after they were originally mooted. The SNP pledged to consider reforms in the wake of the Alex Salmond case and the police investigation into the SNP's finances. A consultation on the matter was promised in the SN

The Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain QC has recused herself from further involvement in the Rangers litigation. A number of individuals have been prosecuted, some maliciously, in respect of the acquisition and administration of Rangers Football Club.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have pressed the First Minister over the proposed splitting of the Lord Advocate's role. Justice spokesperson Liam McArthur also mentioned removing the administration of fatal accident inquiries from the Crown Office in order to end the series of “scandalous&rdqu

The SNP has promised to consult on splitting the dual role of the Lord Advocate if returned to power after next month's election. In its manifesto, the party pledges to "consult on whether the dual functions of [the Lord Advocate], as head of the independent prosecution service and principal legal a

The Lord Advocate suggested using terrorism legislation to deal with the pandemic, the Scottish government has inadvertently revealed due to improperly redacting his comments in material released following a freedom of information request. James Wolffe QC told ministers that the Civil Contingencies

The administrators of Rangers FC who were maliciously prosecuted have been paid more than £20 million, The National reports. The newspaper claims that £21m in total has been paid to the two men and a further £3m has been given to them for legal expenses.

An astonishing admission was made by Scotand's Lord Advocate in the Court of Session at the end of August. He conceded that his predecessor's 2012 prosecution of the two men called in as administrators of Rangers Football Club was malicious. This is a shameful milestone in the legal history of this

Former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has called for the office of Lord Advocate to be divided. The Lord Advocate, whose role in other jurisdictions is split, for example, between an attorney general and director of public prosecutions, is both chief prosecutor and chief lawyer to the Scottish go

A lawyer who says she suffered “psychiatric injury” while working at the Crown Office is to have her £1.3 million damages claim against the Lord Advocate heard at the Court of Session. Laura Malone, 53, argues that the Lord Advocate, James Wolffe QC, is vicariously liable for negli