The young year has already thrown some off course. As we’ve heard often this week...let’s await the outcome of Sue Gray’s report before we see how off course they have gone. The world of politics can be difficult to predict, save perhaps in broad principles that governments generally seek to accrue power often at the expense of the rule of law, and no doubt the rule of law and human rights face continued challenge in 2022.
One does not need to look too far to see those challenges that will develop close to our shores during 2022. The European Commission remains in a standoff with the government of Poland on its stance in relation to the political control and independence of the judiciary. The Polish ruling party—ironically the Law and Justice Party—has run a campaign for five years seeking to control the judiciary and remove judges deemed to be opposed to its agenda. Matters have now come to a head with
