The Bar Council has effectively called for Liz Truss to be removed from post in its Manifesto for Justice for the government that is formed after the 8 June General Election.
It places ‘judicial independence’ at the top of a list of six ‘core values of our justice system’, and notes that Truss, the Lord Chancellor, ‘did not stand up for the judges who were attacked by the press as "Enemies of the People" [in the Daily Mail newspaper’s report of the Supreme Court ruling on whether Parliament’s consent was required before the Art 50 process for leaving the EU could be triggered].
The manifesto states: ‘The next government must demonstrate its determination to fulfil this responsibility through a Lord Chancellor whose experience is combined with the requisite authority among ministerial colleagues to defend the independence of the judiciary and ensure that they have the support that is necessary to enable them to exercise their functions.’
It also highlights the ‘creaking’ infrastructure of the courts, with many buildings in poor repair, low morale among court staff and a decline in the number of cases due
