Swearing-in of the Government’s legal team

On Monday, the Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales swore in the new Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood MP, the Attorney-General, Richard Hermer KC, and the Solicitor-General, Sarah Sackman MP. In what Joshua Rozenberg described as “a little-noticed change to their traditional oaths of office”, Hermer and Sackman both swore to “well and truly respect the rule of law” – which, of course, includes continued adherence to the European Convention of Human Rights.

As if to underline that, at the opening plenary session of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace on 18 July 2024, Sir Kier Starmer assured Europe’s leaders that “we will never withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights”.

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