Family Law Cafe welcomes new Lord Chancellor

The Rt Hon David Lidington MP has been appointed as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, replacing the previous Lord Chancellor Elizabeth Truss.

Mr Lidington responded to the appointment by saying:

“I am pleased and honoured to have been appointed as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.

“Together with my ministerial team, I look forward to working with the hardworking and dedicated staff in our prisons and probation services, in our courts and tribunals and with people right across the justice system.

“Democracy and freedom are built on the rule of law, and are protected by a strong and independent judiciary. I look forward to taking my Oath as Lord Chancellor, and to working with the Lord Chief Justice and his fellow judges in the months ahead, to ensure that justice is fairly administered and robustly defended.”

Mr Lidington was Minister of State for Europe from 2010 to 2016, and was Leader of the House of Commons prior to his appointment as Lord Chancellor.

Until recently, the position of Lord Chancellor was usually given to a lawyer. However, like his three immediate predecessors, Mr Lidington is not a lawyer.

Notwithstanding this, Family Law Cafe welcomes Mr Lidington’s appointment and hopes that he has a constructive relationship with the legal profession.

Image: David Lidington, by Foreign and Commonwealth Office, licensed under CC BY 2.0.