Patrick Hastings

Sir Patrick Gardiner Hastings (March 17, 1880 - February 26, 1952) was a noted British barrister who served as Attorney General for England and Wales in 1924 and inadvertently brought down the first Labour government.

Later career at the bar

Hastings had left the Labour Party and seemed somewhat embarrassed by his membership of it. He represented Sir Oswald Mosley on several occasions when he was prosecuted for public order offences as leader of the British Union of Fascists. Hastings rejected several offers to become a Judge; during World War II he served briefly in the Royal Air Force intelligence corps. After the war, Hastings was engaged by the Newark Advertiser in defence of a libel action brought by Harold Laski who was seeking to clear his name from the newspaper's claim that he had called for socialism "even if it means violence". Cross-examining Laski, the following exchange occurred:

Related Topics:
Sir Oswald Mosley - British Union of Fascists - World War II - Royal Air Force - Newark - Libel - Harold Laski

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:HASTINGS: Are there any privileged in the Socialist Party?

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:LASKI: Why, indeed, Sir Patrick, when you were a member—

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:THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE: No, Mr. Laski.

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:HASTINGS: Do not be rude.

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Laski's counsel later said that he hoped that Hastings would at least have said "Touché". Laski lost the case and his political reputation was ruined.

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