Keynote Address 2009

Rt Hon Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice

Read Lord Judge's speech text in full (Word format)

Report by Lucy Smith and Adam Thorn

The most senior judge in England and Wales today declared that an independent media and judiciary are the twin “cornerstones” and “bulwarks” of a free society. The Rt Hon Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice Sir Igor Judge said the two bodies cannot compromise their independence in a democratic society.

In a wide-ranging address to the annual Society of Editors’ conference, he explained that he is a big advocate of open justice and that the media had a huge role to play in this.The Lord Chief Justice told editors: “Please can you get the message across that an independent judiciary and an independent press are the twin cornerstones and bulwarks of a free society.

“The entire fabric of a free society is dependent on an independent press and an independent judiciary. We are mutually dependent on that, of that there can be no doubt. We cannot compromise our independence.

“I can’t think of any democratic society where they don’t work together. Independence is an essential ingredient of what we are trying in our different ways to do. There is room for views.”
The Lord Chief Justice revealed his concern at statistics which demonstrated that the press were covering less court cases and local authority meetings for generations.
He said: “I do not want the press to be the broadsheet of the local authority or the Government.

“I do not want court proceedings to be reported by local authority communications departments. “Spin is neither a cornerstone nor a bulwark of a free society. What we need is independent, objective reporting. “Court should be administered in public and subject to public scrutiny. I am not comfortable with the thought that there is no-one to go into the court and observe and write up. If there is no-one to walk in, the public interest is damaged. That is the harsh reality.”

The Lord Chief Justice said he understood that editors’ hands were tied by commercial imperatives but he stressed that it was disingenuous for them to simply blame the economic downturn. This is not a matter of coming out of the recession. More than two million people are out of jobs. “I’m hoping this [recession] is one of those awful cyclical things - and cycles go round.

“This is something the Society of Editors has to address. I do welcome anyone thinking outside of the box to address these issues. “If you are talking about survival, then this matters hugely to me personally and also to the fabric of our society.”

In his speech at the Radisson Hotel at Stansted Airport, the Lord Chief Justice declared his admiration for the press and said he was concerned at the number of young people who are reading newspapers.He said: “How many of our young children do read newspapers? How many of them go to the trouble to buy one? How are you going to inculcate our habit into our young? “How can my grandchildren absorb information through a screen?

“Today we do not have the slightest concept of what technology will be doing to our habits by 2019. “It very much matters to me personally and I shall be following it closely.”

The Lord Chief Justice also revealed his concern about the huge number of libel cases coming to the attention of the High Court. He said: “I take no pride in reading that London is the libel capital of the world. I do not regard it as a badge of honour.

“I believe that justice should be done where justice needs to be done. If you commit a murder in Bristol, it should be tried in Bristol. Forum shopping has no appeal to me.”

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