Tory party's smear campaign on Starmer the DPP is OTT

In a general election, it is right that the leadership qualities of prospective prime ministers are thoroughly examined and assessed.

- DOMINIC GRIEVE

Voters deserve nothing less.

But as a former Conservative attorney general with ultimate responsibility for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) from 2010 to 2014, I am astonished to see some of my former colleagues seeking to suggest that as director of public prosecutions (DPP), Keir Starmer was a “lefty lawyer” who failed in the role.

This flies in the face of the facts. As DPP, Starmer had to implement the savings that the Cameron government brought in because of the financial crisis. He succeeded in doing this by amalgamating offices and cutting nearly a quarter of the staff, all while maintaining an effective service. I also realised, as I visited offices affected by the changes, that he had led from the front and was held in high regard by staff from whom he was asking for challenging changes in working practices.

His success as a leader of this important government department was well known in Whitehall. When, after his departure, the CPS was to be made the subject of further budget cuts, I was able to get them halved because the Treasury acknowledged how well the CPS had performed and delivered previously.