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| Labour condemns newspaper attacks on judges after Brexit ruling | Labour condemns newspaper attacks on judges after Brexit ruling |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The shadow justice secretary has called on the lord chancellor to defend British judges against “hysterical” attacks from rightwing, pro-Brexit newspapers. | The shadow justice secretary has called on the lord chancellor to defend British judges against “hysterical” attacks from rightwing, pro-Brexit newspapers. |
| Richard Burgon urged Liz Truss, who is responsible for upholding the independence of the judiciary, to defend the high court from vituperative headlines. | Richard Burgon urged Liz Truss, who is responsible for upholding the independence of the judiciary, to defend the high court from vituperative headlines. |
| The Daily Mail’s front page on Friday branded the three judges who delivered the pivotal article 50 judgment – which said that only parliament has the legal power to trigger Brexit – as “enemies of the people”. | The Daily Mail’s front page on Friday branded the three judges who delivered the pivotal article 50 judgment – which said that only parliament has the legal power to trigger Brexit – as “enemies of the people”. |
| The Daily Telegraph carried front-page pictures of the three senior judges – the lord chief justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the master of the rolls, Sir Terence Etherton, and Lord Justice Sales – with the headline: “The judges versus the people.” | The Daily Telegraph carried front-page pictures of the three senior judges – the lord chief justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the master of the rolls, Sir Terence Etherton, and Lord Justice Sales – with the headline: “The judges versus the people.” |
| Brendan Cox, widower of the Labour MP Jo Cox, also cautioned against allowing the tone of the debate about Thursday’s judgment to become too febrile. | Brendan Cox, widower of the Labour MP Jo Cox, also cautioned against allowing the tone of the debate about Thursday’s judgment to become too febrile. |
| He tweeted: “Whatever our views on the court ruling I hope we can take a step back & debate it soberly. Inciting hatred has consequences.” Jo Cox, who represented the Batley and Spen constituency, was killed in the run-up to the EU referendum. | He tweeted: “Whatever our views on the court ruling I hope we can take a step back & debate it soberly. Inciting hatred has consequences.” Jo Cox, who represented the Batley and Spen constituency, was killed in the run-up to the EU referendum. |
| Labour’s Burgon condemned the personal attacks on judges. “Respecting the EU referendum result is the right and democratic thing to do,” he said. “Strong views were expressed by both sides. | Labour’s Burgon condemned the personal attacks on judges. “Respecting the EU referendum result is the right and democratic thing to do,” he said. “Strong views were expressed by both sides. |
| “Judges in the high court are there to interpret the law regardless of their personal views and that is what they have done. There is a constitutional process which must be followed. Some of the headlines in today’s newspapers personally attacking the judges who heard this case are unacceptable. | |
| “As lord chancellor, Liz Truss should not stay silent. It is the lord chancellor’s job to uphold the independence of British judges and she must speak out urgently against the hysterical headlines of some papers and these attacks on British justice.” | “As lord chancellor, Liz Truss should not stay silent. It is the lord chancellor’s job to uphold the independence of British judges and she must speak out urgently against the hysterical headlines of some papers and these attacks on British justice.” |
| The former attorney general Dominic Grieve also expressed alarm at the attacks on the judiciary. He said: “They are entirely unjustified and are either made in ignorance or out of malice, it’s impossible to know which. | The former attorney general Dominic Grieve also expressed alarm at the attacks on the judiciary. He said: “They are entirely unjustified and are either made in ignorance or out of malice, it’s impossible to know which. |
| “The judges are the safeguarders of our unwritten constitution. Nothing they have done ought to take anybody by surprise. To accede to the principle that you can change primary legislation by royal prerogative is a constitutional monstrosity and would totally undermine everything that our forebears struggled to give us. It would trash the constitution. | “The judges are the safeguarders of our unwritten constitution. Nothing they have done ought to take anybody by surprise. To accede to the principle that you can change primary legislation by royal prerogative is a constitutional monstrosity and would totally undermine everything that our forebears struggled to give us. It would trash the constitution. |
| “There seems to be a paranoid hysteria around that this is being done [to reverse] the referendum. But it’s simply that there has to be a process followed if parliament is to give effect to and express the wish of the electorate.” | “There seems to be a paranoid hysteria around that this is being done [to reverse] the referendum. But it’s simply that there has to be a process followed if parliament is to give effect to and express the wish of the electorate.” |
| Jonathan Marks, the Liberal Democrat justice spokesman, said: “The headlines in much of the press today and the anti-judge rhetoric from some politicians is extremely worrying. This hostility to the rule of law is irresponsible; the personal attacks on judges are plain nasty. | Jonathan Marks, the Liberal Democrat justice spokesman, said: “The headlines in much of the press today and the anti-judge rhetoric from some politicians is extremely worrying. This hostility to the rule of law is irresponsible; the personal attacks on judges are plain nasty. |
| “British citizens won our freedoms from the tyranny of the crown painfully and over many centuries. The rights of minorities to think as they will, to live at peace and to claim the protection of the law against an over-mighty state are at stake here. | “British citizens won our freedoms from the tyranny of the crown painfully and over many centuries. The rights of minorities to think as they will, to live at peace and to claim the protection of the law against an over-mighty state are at stake here. |
| “Our rights and freedoms are protected by the law, British law that the Brexiteers claim they wish to uphold. We are lucky to have fearless judges, determined to apply the law and to stand up to governments when they are wrong. I hope the government does appeal. The authority of the supreme court is needed to reinforce the rule of law.” | “Our rights and freedoms are protected by the law, British law that the Brexiteers claim they wish to uphold. We are lucky to have fearless judges, determined to apply the law and to stand up to governments when they are wrong. I hope the government does appeal. The authority of the supreme court is needed to reinforce the rule of law.” |
| The prime minister’s spokesman refused to condemn the language used, saying: “I don’t think the British judiciary is being undermined.” He added: “I’m not commenting on newspaper coverage.” | The prime minister’s spokesman refused to condemn the language used, saying: “I don’t think the British judiciary is being undermined.” He added: “I’m not commenting on newspaper coverage.” |