Robert Jenrick faces criticism for endorsing a proposal reminiscent of Trump’s approach that could potentially make the Supreme Court subservient to influential politicians.
During his conference speech, the Shadow Justice Secretary sharply criticized judges, vowing to reinstate ministerial control over judicial appointments. He dramatically brandished a judge’s wig, emphasizing his stance against allowing any political activists to serve as judges.
Alleging connections between numerous judges and open borders charities, Jenrick accused them of advocating for illegal migrants and pushing open borders agendas on social media. However, the Government condemned Jenrick for jeopardizing British values and destabilizing the country by undermining established institutions.
Former Supreme Court Justice, Lord Sumption, criticized Jenrick’s intention to dismiss “activist” judges, cautioning that granting more authority to British politicians over the judiciary could mirror the situation in the United States, where the Supreme Court’s independence from the President is questioned.
Opposing Jenrick’s plans, Deputy PM and Justice Secretary David Lammy emphasized the importance of judges’ independence in upholding British democracy and warned against political interference in judicial matters.
In his speech, Jenrick denounced judges who inject activism into their roles, pledging to reestablish Parliament and ministers as the ultimate authority over judicial matters. He announced the restoration of the Lord Chancellor’s power to appoint judges, aiming to eliminate political bias in the selection process.
Separately, Jenrick received a caution to refrain from influencing a potential appeal process regarding the dropping of terrorism charges against Kneecap rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh. The Attorney General advised Jenrick to avoid making public statements that could prejudice future legal proceedings related to the case.
Following a technical error leading to the dismissal of charges against O hAnnaidh for allegedly displaying support for a proscribed terrorist group, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed its plan to appeal the decision.
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