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Geoffrey Cox won't have written that advice
I wouldn't bet on that. Given his career at the Bar before and during his political career, he'd be reasonably well qualified to do so.
Brommers-
I think Oliver's point was that he might not have actually written the specific clause, not that he wouldn't have been knowledgeable about it
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Yes, obviously I don't actually know what he did or didn't write. I just generally assume that ministers present the work of civil servants. That may well be wrong in this case. Geoffrey Robertson writes:
The foghorn voice of our attorney oft resounded at the Old Bailey, but attorneys general are rarely the authors of their opinions on intricate legal matters. Geoffrey Cox’s opinion will have been cobbled together from the advice, not only of lawyers in his department, but from that of Treasury counsel and probably outside QCs retained at public expense.
branwen:
I think Oliver's point was that he might not have actually written the specific clause, not that he wouldn't have been knowledgeable about it
I didn't have any point about the specific clause in mind, just as above that I assumed it was all, or mostly, someone else's work.
Whether or not he wrote it, May's probably just using him as another fall guy. *cue theme of 'The Fall Guy'*
branwen
Oliver Schick
Yes, I thought it would be about the backstop, but it remain to be seen how politically damaging that will be. In this atmosphere of constant scandals, I wonder if it's going to be no more than another distracting skirmish.
Also, Geoffrey Cox won't have written that advice, but presumably signed it off to be submitted.