Jonathan Swift QC is to step down as first treasury counsel after seven years, the Attorney General’s Office confirmed today. First Treasury counsel advise and represent the government in major litigation.

A spokesman for the attorney’s office said Swift, who practices from 11KBW, will continue in private practice at the bar. James Eadie QC, of Blackstone Chambers, remains the other first Treasury counsel.

The spokesman said: ‘Jonathan has said that he had been honoured to act as first treasury counsel (FTC) and the attorney general and the head of the Government Legal Service have both expressed their appreciation for Jonathan’s valuable support, advice and advocacy during his period as FTC.’
 
Decisions about future arrangements for the FTC, he said, will be taken ‘in due course’. 

A freedom of information request by the Guardian newspaper last year revealed Swift has been paid £975,075 over a three-year period for representing the government over the right to protest in Parliament Square and the freedom of information case relating to the release of private correspondence between Prince Charles and government ministers.

Over the same period Eadie received more than £2.2m representing the government in matters including the Leveson and Francis inquiries.
 
Swift declined to comment on his decision.