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| Simon Hughes appointed justice minister | Simon Hughes appointed justice minister |
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| The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Simon Hughes, has been appointed as minister of state for justice in a mini government reshuffle. | The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Simon Hughes, has been appointed as minister of state for justice in a mini government reshuffle. |
| The move follows the decision by Liberal Democrat peer Lord McNally to resign from the government and become chair of the Youth Justice Board. | The move follows the decision by Liberal Democrat peer Lord McNally to resign from the government and become chair of the Youth Justice Board. |
| Hughes, a libertarian, will have to work alongside Chris Grayling, the Eurosceptic Conservative justice secretary. They are likely to clash over the Human Rights Act, legal aid, secret courts and prisoner voting rights. | Hughes, a libertarian, will have to work alongside Chris Grayling, the Eurosceptic Conservative justice secretary. They are likely to clash over the Human Rights Act, legal aid, secret courts and prisoner voting rights. |
| Hughes is a former barrister, and has so far refused to take ministerial office, preferring to act as link-man between ministers and the party during the coalition. He also undertook a brief review for the coalition on how financial support for students could be improved in the wake of the decision to increase tuition fees. | Hughes is a former barrister, and has so far refused to take ministerial office, preferring to act as link-man between ministers and the party during the coalition. He also undertook a brief review for the coalition on how financial support for students could be improved in the wake of the decision to increase tuition fees. |
| Labour has long had designs on his Bermondsey and Southwark seat, but he has managed to maintain a strong majority, partly through assiduous local campaigning. | Labour has long had designs on his Bermondsey and Southwark seat, but he has managed to maintain a strong majority, partly through assiduous local campaigning. |
| The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, said: "Tom McNally has been a fantastic minister who has pushed through a Liberal agenda in the Ministry of Justice. He will now bring the same wisdom, experience and effectiveness to his new role helping young offenders to turn their lives around. | The deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, said: "Tom McNally has been a fantastic minister who has pushed through a Liberal agenda in the Ministry of Justice. He will now bring the same wisdom, experience and effectiveness to his new role helping young offenders to turn their lives around. |
| "I am delighted to welcome Simon to the Liberal Democrat government team. He has been a passionate voice for the party's principles and values throughout the Liberal Democrats' journey from party of opposition to party of government." | "I am delighted to welcome Simon to the Liberal Democrat government team. He has been a passionate voice for the party's principles and values throughout the Liberal Democrats' journey from party of opposition to party of government." |
| McNally, one of the great stalwarts of the Liberal Democrats, has been deputy leader of the Lords and justice minister since the coalition government's formation in 2010. | McNally, one of the great stalwarts of the Liberal Democrats, has been deputy leader of the Lords and justice minister since the coalition government's formation in 2010. |
| A social democrat, he has not enjoyed good relations with Labour peers, and also found – at the age of 70 – that the ministerial workload could be very onerous. | A social democrat, he has not enjoyed good relations with Labour peers, and also found – at the age of 70 – that the ministerial workload could be very onerous. |
| He has also had to defend unpopular cuts to legal aid, a decision that has led to the resignation of some prominent Liberal Democrat lawyers. | He has also had to defend unpopular cuts to legal aid, a decision that has led to the resignation of some prominent Liberal Democrat lawyers. |
| The Youth Justice Board was a body that was due to be abolished in a cull of quangos at the start of the parliament but it was retained after representations by the Liberal Democrats. | The Youth Justice Board was a body that was due to be abolished in a cull of quangos at the start of the parliament but it was retained after representations by the Liberal Democrats. |
| Jenny Willott, Lib Dem MP for Cardiff Central, has also been appointed a junior whip and will act as cover for the business minister, Jo Swinson, who is taking maternity leave. | Jenny Willott, Lib Dem MP for Cardiff Central, has also been appointed a junior whip and will act as cover for the business minister, Jo Swinson, who is taking maternity leave. |
| Lord Faulks a Conservative and QC has become a justice minister in the Lords. | |
| "It is a privilege and a huge responsibility to be appointed to this important job in government," said Hughes. "Issues of justice and civil liberties have been my passions since I was a teenager. Justice and civil liberties are also core issues for every Liberal Democrat in the country. | "It is a privilege and a huge responsibility to be appointed to this important job in government," said Hughes. "Issues of justice and civil liberties have been my passions since I was a teenager. Justice and civil liberties are also core issues for every Liberal Democrat in the country. |
| "I hope that my experience, training and work on human rights from my time at university and in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, as a practising barrister for several years before I was elected to the Commons, will stand me in good stead for this job." | "I hope that my experience, training and work on human rights from my time at university and in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, as a practising barrister for several years before I was elected to the Commons, will stand me in good stead for this job." |
| McNally said: "It has been an enormous privilege to serve as minister of state at the Ministry of Justice over the last three-and-a-half years. I believe we have demonstrated that the coalition can work effectively in taking the tough decisions imposed by economic circumstances while pursuing a radical reform agenda." | McNally said: "It has been an enormous privilege to serve as minister of state at the Ministry of Justice over the last three-and-a-half years. I believe we have demonstrated that the coalition can work effectively in taking the tough decisions imposed by economic circumstances while pursuing a radical reform agenda." |
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