THURSDAY 5 MARCH 2020Plans to politicise judiciary
‘intolerable’, says Lord Reed
Supreme Court chief warns against US-style confirmation hearings (Parliament Live)
ANDREW WOODCOCK
POLITICAL EDITOR
The president of the Supreme Court has declined to rule out resigning if Boris Johnson attempts to
politicise the judiciary.
Lord Reed of Allermuir said it would be “unacceptable” for senior judges to be subjected to US-style
confirmation hearings featuring interrogation by politicians on their personal views of contentious issues.
Confirmation hearings are one of the reforms likely to be considered by the constitutional review ordered
by Mr Johnson in the wake of his election victory.
The Constitution Democracy and Rights Commission has been seen by some observers as an opportunity
for the PM to take revenge on the Supreme Court following its humiliating ruling that his suspension of