The government is to appeal to the Supreme Court the decision by the court of appeal yesterday that the dismissal of Sharon Shoesmith was so "legally flawed as to be null and void".

The former children's secretary Ed Balls who sacked her said it was "right and constitutionally very important" that they did so. Why? Is the government above the law? James Forsyth, political editor of the Spectator and lawyer David Wolfe, who has been involved in judicial reviews for 15 years, debate the wider legal importance of the ruling.

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