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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 Lib Dem peer Lord McNally to quit the government to chair of the Youth Justice Board. | The move follows the decision by Lib Dem peer Lord McNally to quit the government to chair of the Youth Justice Board. |
| Hughes, a libertarian, will have to work with 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 with 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 light 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 light of the decision to increase tuition fees. |
| The switch of Lib Dem ministers at the MoJ may reflect grassroots pressure within the party over justice issues. Recent party conferences have condemned the coalition government for its policy on secret courts and cuts to legal aid. There has been an exodus of senior lawyers from the party in protest at the moves. | The switch of Lib Dem ministers at the MoJ may reflect grassroots pressure within the party over justice issues. Recent party conferences have condemned the coalition government for its policy on secret courts and cuts to legal aid. There has been an exodus of senior lawyers from the party in protest at the moves. |
| McNally has been a fierce defender in the Lords of the necessity to cut deep into the annual legal aid budget. Hughes, by contrast, has been a prominent opponent inside the Commons of secret courts and of successive plans to cut legal aid. The change at the Ministry of Justice comes just before a decision by Grayling, about how to impose a further £220m cut in criminal legal aid. | McNally has been a fierce defender in the Lords of the necessity to cut deep into the annual legal aid budget. Hughes, by contrast, has been a prominent opponent inside the Commons of secret courts and of successive plans to cut legal aid. The change at the Ministry of Justice comes just before a decision by Grayling, about how to impose a further £220m cut in criminal legal aid. |
| Labour has long had designs on Hughes' Bermondsey and Southwark seat, but he has managed to maintain a strong majority, partly through assiduous local campaigning. | Labour has long had designs on Hughes' 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." |
| Lord McNally, one of the great stalwarts of the Liberal Democrats, has been justice minister since the coalition government's formation in 2010; from then until October this year he was also deputy leader of the Lords. A former member of the Labour party and the Social Democrats, he has not enjoyed good relations with Labour peers, and found – at the age of 70 – that the ministerial workload could be very onerous. | |
| The Upper House is full of lawyers willing to challenge the government line by line on bills. He has also had to defend unpopular cuts to legal aid, a decision that has led to the resignation of some prominent Lib Dem lawyers. | The Upper House is full of lawyers willing to challenge the government line by line on bills. He has also had to defend unpopular cuts to legal aid, a decision that has led to the resignation of some prominent Lib Dem 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 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 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 a QC, has become a justice minister in the Lords. He was a member of the government's Bill of Rights Commission and has canvassed the possibility of Britain opting out of the European Court of Human Rights. Lord Faulks is the older brother of the novelist Sebastian Faulks. | Lord Faulks, a Conservative and a QC, has become a justice minister in the Lords. He was a member of the government's Bill of Rights Commission and has canvassed the possibility of Britain opting out of the European Court of Human Rights. Lord Faulks is the older brother of the novelist Sebastian Faulks. |
| Hughes said: "It is a privilege and a huge responsibility to be appointed to this important job in government. 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. | Hughes said: "It is a privilege and a huge responsibility to be appointed to this important job in government. 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." |
| Lord 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." | Lord 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." |
| Lawyers opposed to legal aid cuts welcomed both appointments. Nicola Hill, president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association said: "We're encouraged to see that Simon Hughes says he's committed to justice and civil liberties. At a crisis point for legal aid, it's time for Mr Hughes to show he stands up for vulnerable people's access to justice and will enable their lawyers to provide them with a robust defence. | Lawyers opposed to legal aid cuts welcomed both appointments. Nicola Hill, president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association said: "We're encouraged to see that Simon Hughes says he's committed to justice and civil liberties. At a crisis point for legal aid, it's time for Mr Hughes to show he stands up for vulnerable people's access to justice and will enable their lawyers to provide them with a robust defence. |
| "The government is due to respond to the latest consultation any moment now and there's the threat of disruption to courts in the new year. It's not too late for the government to re-think their devastating plans for legal aid." | "The government is due to respond to the latest consultation any moment now and there's the threat of disruption to courts in the new year. It's not too late for the government to re-think their devastating plans for legal aid." |
| The Criminal Bar Association, which represents barristers, said: "[Both Hughes and Faulks] are dedicated to public service and bring unrivalled experience of political and legal life to the Ministry of Justice. We look forward to positive engagement with them and the MoJ on the future of our criminal justice system." | The Criminal Bar Association, which represents barristers, said: "[Both Hughes and Faulks] are dedicated to public service and bring unrivalled experience of political and legal life to the Ministry of Justice. We look forward to positive engagement with them and the MoJ on the future of our criminal justice system." |
| • This article was amended on 19 December 2013. An editing error led to the earlier version saying Lord McNally "has been deputy leader of the Lords and justice minister since the coalition government's formation in 2010". | |
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