Memoir-row ex-minister faces court

Former cabinet minister Peter Hain faces contempt of court proceedings over strident criticisms he made of a judge in his memoir, its publisher has said.

Attorney General for Northern Ireland John Larkin has been granted leave to prosecute both Mr Hain and Biteback Publishing over claims that the passage “undermines the administration of justice”.

But the ex-Northern Ireland secretary vowed to defend free speech against what the publisher said was an arcane law banning criticism of judges that had not been used in living memory.

His remarks about Lord Justice Girvan’s handling of a case caused controversy in Belfast when the book was published.

Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan described them as “potentially an assault on the wider independence of the judiciary”.

An unrepentant Mr Hain, now shadow Welsh secretary, refused to back down and even renewed his criticism, sparking the legal action by Mr Larkin.

The publisher said leave for the action was granted last week by Lord Justice Higgins and is listed for review by the Divisional Court in Belfast on 24 April.

The Attorney General’s court submission claimed the remarks “constitute unwarranted abuse of a judge”.