Statement on House of Lords ruling: Corner House v SFO – Attorney General’s Office

“Statement on House of Lords ruling: Corner House v SFO.”

Full statement

Attorney General’s Office, 30th July 2008

Source: www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk

R (Corner House Research and another) v Director of the Serious Fraud Office (JUSTICE intervening) – WLR Daily

R (Corner House Research and another) v Director of the Serious Fraud Office (JUSTICE intervening) [2008] UKHL 60; [2008] WLR (D) 267

“Where, following threats by a foreign state as to the consequences, affecting national security, if he pursued an investigation into alleged corruption, the Director of the Serious Fraud Office had discontinued it, he had been entitled in his discretion to do so.”

WLR Daily, 30th July 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Regina (Corner House Research and Another) v Director of the Serious Fraud Office – Times Law Reports

Regina (Corner House Research and Another) v Director of the Serious Fraud Office

House of Lords

“Where he took the view that protecting the lives of British citizens outweighed the public interest in pursuing an investigation into allegations of corruption, the Director of the Serious Fraud Office had been entitled to exercise his discretion to discontinue the corruption investigation following threats by a foreign state as to consequences affecting national security if he did not do so.”

The Times, 31st July 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Lords overturn Saudi probe ruling – BBC News

“The House of Lords has ruled that the Serious Fraud Office acted lawfully when it halted its investigation into a Saudi arms deal.”

Full story

BBC News, 30th July 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

SFO dropped BAE inquiry over ‘national security’ concerns, law lords told – The Times

“The decision to drop the Serious Fraud Office bribery investigation into BAE Systems’ £43 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia was taken for the sake of national security and not for commercial reasons, five law lords were told today.”

Full story

The Times, 7th July 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Top barristers battle over BAE Systems arms deal with Saudi Arabia – The Times

“Two of Britain’s highest-paid and most sought after QCs will go head to head during the Serious Fraud Office’s appeal against a High Court ruling that it unlawfully halted its investigation into the BAE Systems arms deal with Saudi Arabia. ”

Full story

The Times, 7th July 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

BAE wants review of SFO inquiry – BBC News

“BAE Systems is urging the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to review its abandoned investigation into the company’s £43bn arms deal with Saudi Arabia.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th May 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

House of Lords to rule on BAE corruption inquiry – The Times

“The Serious Fraud Office is to challenge the ruling that it must rethink the halting of its investigation into a £43 billion arms deals between BAE Systems and Saudi Arabia.”

Full story

The Times, 25th April, 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

SFO to appeal High Court BAE verdict – The Times

” The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will appeal against a recent High Court judgment that it ‘acted unlawfully’ when it dropped an investigation into bribery and corruption allegations over a BAE Systems’ arms deal with Saudi Arabia.”

Full story

The Times, 22nd April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Clash of arms – Law Society’s Gazette

“Four landmark court rulings last week placed into sharp focus the ongoing trial of strength between ministers and the judiciary.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th April 2008

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Serious Fraud Office set to fight devastating arms deal judgment – The Times

“The Serious Fraud Office is to appeal against the devastating court ruling that it acted unlawfully by dropping its investigation into BAE Systems.”

Full story

The Times, 18th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Regina (Corner House Research and Another) v Director of the Serious Fraud Office – Times Law Reports

Regina (Corner House Research and Another) v Director of the Serious Fraud Office

Queen’s Bench Divisional Court

“The rule of law required that an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into bribery and corruption should be discontinued only by the independent judgment of the director of that office and not in response to a threat by a foreign power.”

The Times, 16th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Goldsmith urges appeal against BAE ruling – The Guardian

“Lord Goldsmith, the former attorney general, yesterday increased pressure on the Serious Fraud Office to appeal against last week’s high court ruling that the government acted unlawfully in blocking a criminal investigation of secret payments made by the arms company BAE Systems to Saudi Arabia.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th April 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Saudi case raises fears about law chief’s role – The Independent

“Gordon Brown faces a growing backlash over moves to give the attorney general sweeping powers to veto criminal investigations following devastating criticism of the Government’s decision to halt the inquiry into arms sales to Saudi Arabia.”

Full story

The Independent, 12th April 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘No one is entitled to interfere with the course of our justice’ – The Guardian

“Eighteen months after the Serious Fraud Office abandoned the BAE inquiry, two high court judges yesterday ruled the decision unlawful in a judgment that was stinging in its criticism of both the SFO and the British government for caving in to pressure from Saudi Arabia. The legal action was brought by the anti-bribery pressure group Corner House Research and the Campaign Against Arms Trade. Here are edited extracts from the summary judgment published yesterday.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th April 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Analysis: what next after High Court ruling on BAE? – The Times

“When Tony Blair, as Prime Minister, approached the Attorney-General, Lord Goldsmith, QC, to argue the case for the dropping of the corruption investigation into the BAE arms deal, he insisted that it was a matter ultimately for the Government’s chief law officer. But — justifying his approach — Mr Blair said that this was the ‘clearest case for intervention in the public interest he had seen’.”

Full story

The Times, 10th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

SFO ‘acted unlawfully’ by dropping BAE probe – The Times

“The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) ‘acted unlawfully’ when it dropped an investigation into bribery and corruption in arms deals between BAE systems, Europe’s largest defence company, and Saudi Arabia, the High Court ruled today.”

Full story

The Times, 10th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Judges rule in Saudi arms inquiry – BBC News

“The findings of a judicial review into the dropping of a corruption inquiry into BAE Systems’ Saudi arms deals will be revealed on Thursday.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th April 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAE: secret papers reveal threats from Saudi prince – The Guardian

“Saudi Arabia’s rulers threatened to make it easier for terrorists to attack London unless corruption investigations into their arms deals were halted, according to court documents revealed yesterday.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th February 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court to study BAE fraud decision – BBC News

“Two pressure groups have won a High Court challenge on the legality of the decision to end investigations into BAE Systems’ dealings with Saudi Arabia.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th November 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Home Office denies obstructing BAE inquiry – Daily Telegraph

“The Home Office has denied obstructing an investigation into allegations of corruption at arms manufacturer BAE.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 21st September 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Benn admits BAE row is hitting Britain – The Guardian

“The controversy over BAE Systems’ armaments deal with Saudi Arabia is overshadowing Britain’s efforts to combat international corruption, a candidate for Labour’s deputy leadership will acknowledge today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Goldsmith to face MPs over BAE – The Guardian

“The attorney general is to face a Commons select committee over his role in the BAE corruption controversy, the Guardian has learned. Lord Goldsmith will be questioned by the constitutional affairs committee over the decision to halt a Serious Fraud Office investigation into allegations the firm paid bribes to secure arms deals with Saudi Arabia.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Woolf denies BAE review is knee jerk reaction to US investigation – The Guardian

“Lord Woolf, the former lord chief justice of England and Wales, yesterday defended his £6,000 a day role as chairman of an independent committee set up to review arms maker BAE Systems’ business ethics, pledging a vigorous inquiry and dismissing any suggestion he had been appointed as ‘window dressing’.”

Full story

The Guardina, 16th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Woolf places Blackstone at heart of BAE furore – The Lawyer

“Blackstone Chambers has found itself at the centre of the BAE Systems controversy with member Lord Woolf set to lead the BAE independent ethics committee while some of Blackstone’s leading barristers lead the legal fight against the defence company.”

Full story

The Lawyer, 12th June 2007

Source: www.thelawyer.com

New pressure on Goldsmith after cabinet inquiry call – The Guardian

“Lord Goldsmith, the attorney general, will come under renewed pressure to explain how BAE’s payments to a Saudi prince were hushed up when the Liberal Democrats demand he answer a series of questions over his role in the affair.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lord Woolf to head BAE investigation panel – The Times

“BAE Systems has appointed Lord Woolf, formerly Britain’s most senior lawyer, to lead an independent panel to investigate claims the defence company bribed high-ranking Saudi officials.”

Full story

The Times, 11th June 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk