Supreme Court president Lord Reed warns of 'shameful' lack of diversity on bench

The Supreme Court in 2016
PA
John Dunne @jhdunne5 October 2020

The president of the Supreme Court today warned that a lack of diversity among justices is a situation which “cannot be allowed to become shameful if it persists”.

Lord Reed, who succeeded Lady Hale as president in January, said he hopes to see a justice from an ethnic minority background among the 12-strong body in the coming years.

The court is the final stage of appeal in the UK for civil cases and for criminal cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and all 12 justices are white and only two are women.

Asked when a justice of black, Asian or minority ethnic background will be appointed, Lord Reed told the BBC: “I hope that will be before I retire, which is in six years’ time.”

Justices are appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister following a recommendation from a selection commission on which, as president of the court, Lord Reed would sit.

Lord Reed was also asked about the case of Alexandra Wilson — a black barrister who was mistaken for a defendant three times in one day.

The criminal and family barrister tweeted that she was “absolutely exhausted” after staff at the court repeatedly failed to recognise that she worked in the legal profession last month. Her tweets drew accusations of racism within the UK’s court system.

She wrote in the Standard last week: “The perpetuation of systemic racial bias undermines the presumption of innocence for black people in the UK. It isn’t fair. I hope that me sharing my experiences highlights how desperately change is needed.”

Lord Reed called the incident “appalling” and praised Ms Wilson’s talents. Currently just four per cent of senior judges appointed to the High Court or above are from a black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

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