text: The collapse of yesterday's Old Bailey trial will raise question marks about the judgment of the Labour darling who took a central role in the disastrous and misguided prosecutions of journalists. Keir Starmer, who ran the Crown Prosecution Service for five years, was in charge when Operation Elveden began its tainted 'witch hunt' into tabloid journalists. Starting with dawn raids on suspects' homes, mass arrests and long periods of bail, it ended in not guilty verdicts – and will now prompt a fresh examination of the tenure of the most controversial DPP of modern times. Central role: Former Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer was in charge of Operation Elveden . Most controversially, he pushed the use of an almost unheard of 13th century law – misconduct in public office – to go after journalists for what amounted to them simply doing their jobs of informing the public. Despite the best efforts of prosecutors and millions of pounds of public money, juries have almost universally refused to convict, and after four more reporters were cleared yesterday and all but a handful of cases withdrawn, Elveden was left in ruins. Already a KCB and a QC, in a few weeks' time Sir Keir Starmer is likely to add MP to his lengthy list of titles and be returned for the safe Labour seat of Holborn and St Pancras in north London. It will feel like a natural step for the son of 'Guardian-reading' parents who named him after the founder of the Labour Party, Keir Hardie. Current Director of Public Prosecutions boss Alison Saunders (pictured) The 2001 'human rights lawyer of the year' is so admired by Labour it reportedly delayed candidate selection in the north London seat so he could rack up enough time as a party member to get on the list. With previous DPPs, it was a largely behind closed doors role. But under Starmer it was far more public. Rather than shunning the limelight, he relished it. Some weeks it even appeared he was holding court with the media more often than Cabinet ministers. All pretence of political impartiality went out the window, and he repeatedly picked fights with the Tories, most notably on human rights and the law allowing homeowners to defend their property against intruders. In one clash in 2009 a BBC interviewer questioned his impartiality, pointing out his political background and role in a 'Socialist Alternatives' magazine. He also angered the Tories when he said plans to scrap the Human Rights Act would 'shame' Britain. He also re-wrote the law on assisted suicide – quickly dubbed 'Starmer's Law' – setting out circumstances in which those who help others kill themselves can expect to escape prosecution. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
target: Trial of journalists paying public officials collapsed at Old Bailey on Friday .
  Raises questions over judgement of Keir Starmer, who led the investigation .
  He pushed use of 'unheard' 13th century law - misconduct in public office .
  Operation Elveden, which has now cost taxpayer £20million, left in ruins .