Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, who is Chancellor of The University of Law, has reached the heights of the judicial system, first sitting as a law lord and later in the Supreme Court, becoming its president in 2012. He was also Master of the Rolls, head of the civil justice system, and his rise to the Court of Appeal and then to the House of Lords is one of the quickest in recent times.
In this episode he talks about his regrets over cases on which he has ruled; on the impact of Brexit and the rule of law; on the ‘right to die’ debate and on judges’ bias.
The interview is conducted by Frances Gibb, journalist and former legal editor of The Times, for a landmark podcast series, The Judges: Power, Politics and the People, hosted by The University of Law.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:54 Early career
00:06:10 Becoming a High Court judge
00:09:12 Responsibilities of being a judge
00:11:52 The Supreme Court
00:14:10 Public scrutiny and the Brexit ruling
00:21:45 Judges’ bias and personal views
00:23:51 The Supreme Court ruling on prorogation of Parliament
00:28:21 Right to die
00:25:02 Regrets
00:36:50 Super-injunctions and privacy law
00:40:41 Impact of Brexit on the rule of law
00:43:43 Judicial appointments and political interference
00:47:15 New Lady Chief Justice
00:48:55 Sitting as a judge in Hong Kong
00:50:03 Sentencing and jail conditions
00:55:51 Threats to the rule of law and the justice system