Keir Starmer's embattled legal chief's overly 'finickity' approach is blamed for 'freezing' decisions - now even Labour critics are lining up to suggest he's... Lord Bottleneck

Sir Keir Starmer's embattled law chief is facing a Cabinet backlash for 'freezing' government decisions with his overly cautious approach. Lord Hermer KC has already been accused by the Tories of conflicts of interest and secrecy over the clients he represented before entering Parliament Sir Keir Starmer is said to have 'absolute confidence' in Lord Hermer Tory peer Lord Frost said: 'Being a friend of the PM won't help him once he starts to become a pain in Government' Government lawyers are said to have delayed decisions on new measures to tackle illegal migration as well as the Hillsborough law forcing public bodies to co-operate with investigations Lord Hermer was challenged by Labour backbencher Sarah Russell in January over the 'chilling effect' of his legal risk guidance on the Government taking on commercial interests. Lord Hermer, who represented the former Sinn Fein leader as a specialist human rights lawyer, has refused to reveal if he played a role in a proposed law change which paves the way for his former client to get taxpayer-funded compensation for being interned in the 1970s. Concerns have also been raised over 'conflicts of interest' issues, with the barrister in recent weeks coming under fire for refusing to disclose his earnings for representing the likes of Gerry Adams and Shamima Begum Government lawyers are said to have delayed decisions on new measures to tackle illegal migration Last night Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick told the Mail: 'Lord Hermer is uniquely ill-placed to be Attorney General.