The deputy prime minister David Lammy made history today as he was sworn in as the first black lord chancellor in court 4 of the Royal Courts of Justice.
Lammy MP swore his oaths on the Bible as the lady chief justice welcomed him as well as solicitor general Ellie Reeves to their roles.
In her speech, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill noted the ‘tradition on these occasions for appointments to your great office to mark a constitutional first’. She said: ‘Your swearing-in marks the first appointment, not before time, of a black lord chancellor and secretary of state for justice. And deputy prime minister. Your dual role confirms that justice remains at the heart of the government’s agenda.’
Another first, the lady chief justice said, was Lammy's experience in practising law in the US. She told the packed courtroom it was ‘readily apparent to all that you bring a wealth of experience to your ancient office’ adding: ‘You have a deep understanding of law and the legal system, or should I say legal systems, given your international experience.
‘At our very first meeting you volunteered at the outset that defending the judges was a priority, and you spoke of your concerns about recent attacks on the judiciary. I look forward to working together to ensure accurate commentary on the judiciary and the justice system.’
Lammy began his speech by paying tribute to his predecessor Shabana Mahmood ‘who achieved so much in her time in office’ and said the role was the ‘honour of my life’.
He told the audience that he ‘could never have imagined standing before [the court] today’. His ‘whole life has been about justice’, he said. '‘Justice has been my past, my course, and now as lord chancellor, justice is my charge. I stand here humbled, I stand here honoured, and, believe me when I say, I stand here feeling the full weight of this ancient office more than 1,000 years old.’
After listing former notable lord chancellors, Lammy said: ‘I wonder what they would think about the nation’s first black chancellor?’
Lammy thanked his family for their ‘love, support and patience’. He said he was ‘incredibly proud to be the first lord chancellor with Afro-Caribbean heritage’. He finished his speech promising to ‘defend with every fibre of my being…the rule of law.’
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