*/
The fourth non-lawyer Lord Chancellor in a row was sworn in at a ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice in June, promising to defend the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.
David Lidington said: ‘I am determined I will be resolute and unflinching as Lord Chancellor in upholding the rule of law and defending the independence of the judiciary,’ which ‘form the very bedrock of a free and democratic society’ and ‘safeguard us against tyranny and dictatorship’.
He praised judges’ intellect, sharp legal minds, and wealth of knowledge, together with their dedication, personal integrity and commitment to ensure the judiciary is ‘fair, free from improper influence, and truly independent’. Judges, he said, embody the rule of law.
The speech will have been welcomed by senior judges, after the perceived failure of his predecessor, Liz Truss, to stand up for the independence of the judiciary in the wake of the media attack that followed the Brexit judgment.
The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas, said it was ‘vital for the whole of our state’ that his third oath, which encapsulates the ‘special constitutional responsibilities for respecting the rule of law, for defending the independence of the judiciary and for the provision of resources which Parliament has entrusted to the Lord Chancellor’ was ‘fully discharged’.
Welcoming the new Lord Chancellor, Bar Chair Andrew Langdon QC emphasized that: ‘Justice is not a ‘service’ that governments can choose to provide or not; it is a separate branch of a democratic government.’
The fourth non-lawyer Lord Chancellor in a row was sworn in at a ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice in June, promising to defend the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.
David Lidington said: ‘I am determined I will be resolute and unflinching as Lord Chancellor in upholding the rule of law and defending the independence of the judiciary,’ which ‘form the very bedrock of a free and democratic society’ and ‘safeguard us against tyranny and dictatorship’.
He praised judges’ intellect, sharp legal minds, and wealth of knowledge, together with their dedication, personal integrity and commitment to ensure the judiciary is ‘fair, free from improper influence, and truly independent’. Judges, he said, embody the rule of law.
The speech will have been welcomed by senior judges, after the perceived failure of his predecessor, Liz Truss, to stand up for the independence of the judiciary in the wake of the media attack that followed the Brexit judgment.
The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas, said it was ‘vital for the whole of our state’ that his third oath, which encapsulates the ‘special constitutional responsibilities for respecting the rule of law, for defending the independence of the judiciary and for the provision of resources which Parliament has entrusted to the Lord Chancellor’ was ‘fully discharged’.
Welcoming the new Lord Chancellor, Bar Chair Andrew Langdon QC emphasized that: ‘Justice is not a ‘service’ that governments can choose to provide or not; it is a separate branch of a democratic government.’
The Bar Council continues to call for investment for the justice system and represent the interests of our profession both at home and abroad
By Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
AlphaBiolabs has made a £500 donation to Sean’s Place, a men’s mental health charity based in Sefton, as part of its ongoing Giving Back initiative
Q&A with Tim Lynch of Jordan Lynch Private Finance
By Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Six months of court observation at the Old Bailey: APPEAL’s Dr Nisha Waller and Tehreem Sultan report their findings on prosecution practices under joint enterprise
The Amazonian artist’s first international solo exhibition is wholly relevant to current issues in social and environmental justice, says Stephen Cragg KC
Despite its prevalence, autism spectrum disorder remains poorly understood in the criminal justice system. Does Alex Henry’s joint enterprise conviction expose the need to audit prisons? asks Dr Felicity Gerry KC
It’s been five years since the groundbreaking QC competition in which six Black women barristers, including the 2025 Chair of the Bar, took silk. Yet today, the number of Black KCs remains ‘critically low’. Desirée Artesi talks to Baroness Scotland KC, Allison Munroe KC and Melanie Simpson KC about the critical success factors, barriers and ideas for embedding change
In the final part of a series celebrating the Bar Pro Bono Award winners, Ramby de Mello and Doughty Street Chambers share the stories behind their awards
