The Government has moved to prevent the possibility of an arrest warrant being issued against the Pope during his state visit [to the UK] this autumn.

Sky News understands that Whitehall officials have been “seriously concerned” that campaigners would use international criminal rules to try to detain the Pontiff while he is in the UK.

Good. And the defeatist naysayers said that this would fizzle out.

Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC were among those campaigners reported to be looking at the options for bringing a private prosecution in relation to the Pope’s alleged cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Now Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has proposed changes to the rules on universal jurisdiction, a law that allows individuals to be prosecuted in the UK for serious offences such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture even if they were carried out abroad.

Keneeth Clarke seems to be on the side of criminal organisations, international gangsters and child rapists. Charming.

The plans would mean the Director of Public Prosecutions would need to give his consent to any arrest warrant issued under universal jurisdiction.

This would effectively mean taking that power out of the hands of the courts.

Is this actually legal? In the UK, there is a very clear separation of the judiciary and the executive branches.

His move may well be unconstitutional.

“Our commitment to our international obligations and to ensuring that there is no impunity for those accused of crimes of universal jurisdiction is unwavering,” Mr Clarke said.

Bullshit. You just proved that you don’t believe a word of that pap.