Statements have been issued by Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers and Sir Igor Judge, following the announcement that HM The Queen has today appointed Sir Igor to be Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 1st October 2008, when Lord Phillips takes up his appointment as Senior Law Lord.
Statement from Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Lord Chief Justice of England Wales:
“I am delighted Sir Igor Judge has been appointed in accordance with the provisions of the Constitutional Reform Act to succeed me as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.
I can think of no-one better suited than Sir Igor to take on the responsibilities of the post. His excellent leadership qualities, displayed in senior judicial posts over the past decade, will stand him, and all judges, in great stead when he takes over from me as Head of the Judiciary on 1 October. ”
Statement from Sir Igor Judge, President of the Queen’s Bench Division and Head of Criminal Justice:
“ It is an honour for me to succeed Lord Phillips as Lord Chief Justice and Head of the Judiciary in England and Wales. On behalf of the judiciary as a whole, I acknowledge with particular gratitude not only his wide-ranging contribution to the development of the law in so many fields, but also his immense efforts to address and resolve the inevitable problems consequent on the new constitutional arrangements which came into force in April 2006, and to wish him well as he takes up his new duties as Senior Law Lord and, from October 2009, as President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
“For my own part, I have already decided to continue as Head of Criminal Justice. Although like Lord Phillips I intend to sit across all the jurisdictions, I shall preside regularly in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division. This reflects my personal interest in the criminal justice system and the importance attached to it by the community at large. Reflecting my concern for the interests of the country as a whole, regular visits to courts outside central London will also be an essential part of my timetable.
“ Like Lord Phillips, I am utterly committed to the principle of judicial independence. The principle is deeply imbedded in our history and our culture and, in the public interest, it must not be undermined or damaged inadvertently or by neglect. “
“ It is an honour for me to succeed Lord Phillips as Lord Chief Justice and Head of the Judiciary in England and Wales. On behalf of the judiciary as a whole, I acknowledge with particular gratitude not only his wide-ranging contribution to the development of the law in so many fields, but also his immense efforts to address and resolve the inevitable problems consequent on the new constitutional arrangements which came into force in April 2006, and to wish him well as he takes up his new duties as Senior Law Lord and, from October 2009, as President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
“For my own part, I have already decided to continue as Head of Criminal Justice. Although like Lord Phillips I intend to sit across all the jurisdictions, I shall preside regularly in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division. This reflects my personal interest in the criminal justice system and the importance attached to it by the community at large. Reflecting my concern for the interests of the country as a whole, regular visits to courts outside central London will also be an essential part of my timetable.
“ Like Lord Phillips, I am utterly committed to the principle of judicial independence. The principle is deeply imbedded in our history and our culture and, in the public interest, it must not be undermined or damaged inadvertently or by neglect. “
