DOMINIC Grieve believes it is "certainly possible" he lost his job as Attorney General due to his advice against pulling out of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Mr Grieve said Prime Minister David Cameron did not give that as the reason for his removal, but added there had been "quite a lot of background to this over some time".
The Conservative MP, who returned to the backbenches following last week's cabinet reshuffle, warned Britain's reputation could be damaged internationally if it withdraws from the ECHR, which is not an EU institution.
He also suggested it would probably be the "worst of all options" if the UK opted to stay in the Council of Europe, which regulates the ECHR, but only implemented conventions in this country if Parliament approved it.
Reports have emerged that the Conservatives are planning to limit the impact of the ECHR.
Asked if part of the reason he lost his job was because he had been advising Mr Cameron about the "inadvisability" of leaving the ECHR, Mr Grieve told Sky News: "It's certainly possible. It wasn't the reason given to me by the Prime Minister when he told me he no longer wished me to stay in the office of Attorney General."
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