Ruling to allow The Guardian to publish letters from Prince Charles to ministers overturned by Dominic Grieve
The Guardian’s request to see copies of letters sent to ministers has been blocked by the Government.
The publication of 27 letters sent by the Prince has been blocked by attorney general Dominic Grieve, the Guardian has reported this morning, after he claimed that they contained the Prince’s personal views that may ‘undermine his position of political neutrality’.
The decision follows a long running freedom of information tribunal, which last month The Guardian won, only to see it overturned by Grieve, despite the tribunal stating that the public had to right to know whether Prince Charles had intended to alter Government policy.
The Government has attempted to prevent the publication of the letters, which were sent over a seven-month period, between 2004 and 2005.
Last month, the tribunal explained its decision to allow their publication, stating; "The essential reason is that it will generally be in the overall public interest for there to be transparency as to how and when Prince Charles seeks to influence government."
Grieve added to his explanation to deny their publications, by saying; "In summary, my decision is based on my view that the correspondence was undertaken as part of the Prince of Wales's preparation for becoming king. The Prince of Wales engaged in this correspondence with ministers with the expectation that it would be confidential. Disclosure of the correspondence could damage the Prince of Wales's ability to perform his duties when he becomes king.
"It is a matter of the highest importance within our constitutional framework that the monarch is a politically neutral figure able to engage in confidence with the government of the day, whatever its political colour."