The diplomatic fracas has arisen from a legal principle known as universal jurisdiction.

There was no reason in terms of legal principle or public policy why that should make a difference.

Replacing it with a legal principle focusing on the facts of individual cases would mount to a retreat from the core principle.

In the court's judgment, there was such a power, but it resided in the court's discretion rather than in legal principle.

It seems very likely that parliament will give its consent to reversing eight centuries of legal principle.