The Rt Hon David Lidington MP has been appointed as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.
David Lidington, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, said:
"I am pleased and honoured to have been appointed as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.
Together with my ministerial team, I look forward to working with the hardworking and dedicated staff in our prisons and probation services, in our courts and tribunals and with people right across the justice system.
Democracy and freedom are built on the rule of law, and are protected by a strong and independent judiciary. I look forward to taking my Oath as Lord Chancellor, and to working with the Lord Chief Justice and his fellow judges in the months ahead, to ensure that justice is fairly administered and robustly defended."
--oo00oo--
Theresa May appoints anti-LGBT justice secretary with appalling gay rights voting record during DUP talks
Theresa May has appointed a justice secretary who has consistently voted against LGBT rights. This Prime Minister reshuffled her Cabinet over the weekend after her Conservative Party lost its majority in parliament in the election. While negotiating a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party – a Northern Irish party which opposes a raft of LGBT rights – May made David Lidington justice secretary and lord chancellor.
Lidington has an appalling record when it comes to LGBT issues, having voted against same-sex marriage on both occasions in 2013. Speaking to his local newspaper The Bucks Herald, he claimed the purpose of marriage was “not only to provide mutual love and commitment but also for the procreation and care of children.”
In 2004, he was one of just 47 MPs who voted against the Civil Partnerships Bill. As the minister of state for Europe in 2015, he rejected proposals to follow the United States in appointing a specialised LGBT rights envoy to lobby for equal rights around the world.
Lidington voted to maintain a ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools – that is, teaching children that homosexuality exists – in 2003. And from 1998 to 1999, he voted against reducing the age of consent from 18 to 16 for homosexual sex – not once, not twice, but three times. The move is particularly worrying as it comes as a deal with the DUP is being formed.
May needs help from the Northern Irish party and its 10 MPs to avoid the perils of ruling with a minority government – but the DUP’s approach to LGBT rights is troubling. Arlene Foster’s ultra-conservative party has previously supported the introduction of a ‘conscience clause’ to protect religious people who want to discriminate against anyone who is LGBT. This means LGBT people could be refused service or turned down for jobs simply because of their sexuality or gender.
The DUP has stalled all progress on equal marriage in Northern Ireland, attempted to retain a lifetime ban on gay men giving blood, and opposed same-sex couples adopting children. But when it comes to a 155-year-old law which can punish a woman with life imprisonment for terminating a pregnancy, the DUP is fully in favour.
May pledged to PinkNews that the Gender Recognition Act would be reformed in the next parliament, saying that “the legal process to change their gender can be distressing, so changes do need to be made.” It remains to be seen how a partnership with the extremely conservative DUP would affect this promise.
On the plus side, the general election saw a record 45 LGBTQ people voted into Parliament, with a net gain of six. The 45 represent seven percent of the new House of Commons, and is the highest level of representation ever in Britain and the world.
Whilst we rejoice at waving goodbye to Liz Truss who was unceremoniously demoted from her disastrous post of Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, there are serious concerns regarding the newly-appointed incumbent according to this in PinkNews:-
Theresa May has appointed a justice secretary who has consistently voted against LGBT rights. This Prime Minister reshuffled her Cabinet over the weekend after her Conservative Party lost its majority in parliament in the election. While negotiating a deal with the Democratic Unionist Party – a Northern Irish party which opposes a raft of LGBT rights – May made David Lidington justice secretary and lord chancellor.
Lidington has an appalling record when it comes to LGBT issues, having voted against same-sex marriage on both occasions in 2013. Speaking to his local newspaper The Bucks Herald, he claimed the purpose of marriage was “not only to provide mutual love and commitment but also for the procreation and care of children.”
In 2004, he was one of just 47 MPs who voted against the Civil Partnerships Bill. As the minister of state for Europe in 2015, he rejected proposals to follow the United States in appointing a specialised LGBT rights envoy to lobby for equal rights around the world.
Lidington voted to maintain a ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools – that is, teaching children that homosexuality exists – in 2003. And from 1998 to 1999, he voted against reducing the age of consent from 18 to 16 for homosexual sex – not once, not twice, but three times. The move is particularly worrying as it comes as a deal with the DUP is being formed.
May needs help from the Northern Irish party and its 10 MPs to avoid the perils of ruling with a minority government – but the DUP’s approach to LGBT rights is troubling. Arlene Foster’s ultra-conservative party has previously supported the introduction of a ‘conscience clause’ to protect religious people who want to discriminate against anyone who is LGBT. This means LGBT people could be refused service or turned down for jobs simply because of their sexuality or gender.
The DUP has stalled all progress on equal marriage in Northern Ireland, attempted to retain a lifetime ban on gay men giving blood, and opposed same-sex couples adopting children. But when it comes to a 155-year-old law which can punish a woman with life imprisonment for terminating a pregnancy, the DUP is fully in favour.
May pledged to PinkNews that the Gender Recognition Act would be reformed in the next parliament, saying that “the legal process to change their gender can be distressing, so changes do need to be made.” It remains to be seen how a partnership with the extremely conservative DUP would affect this promise.
On the plus side, the general election saw a record 45 LGBTQ people voted into Parliament, with a net gain of six. The 45 represent seven percent of the new House of Commons, and is the highest level of representation ever in Britain and the world.
Justice Ministers get some stick on this blog! I think it well deserved and justified too.
ReplyDeleteBut who should it be? Jacob Rees Mogg? Phillip Davis? Look at the whole bloody lot of them, I couldn't recommend a good one for the job.
Lidlington is however an interesting choice, particularly with his LGBT views being very close to those held by the DUP,and Lidingtons job is about to get much harder.
On the 29th of June if no agreement is reached with the Power Sharing Assembly in NI, direct rule from Westminster will come into force. His portfolio will increase, and the NI justice system is arguably in worse condition then our own. Not to mention sectarian issues and political complications.
I don't however think Lidlington will be there long because I think the Tory/DUP pact will be short lived. Whatever deal is reached today will change once direct rule applies. Will the DUP really help the Tories vote through legislation such as budgets that impact on their own communities? Bedroom Tax? Prescription charges?
I really think Lidingtons reign will be short lived.
'Getafix
Phillip Davies lost his seat on Thursday :-D
DeletePossibly the individual highlight of the election for me!
you wish - needed another five thousand to get rid of him I'm afraid. It was mistakenly said by Labour on the night that he had lost.
DeleteTrouble with the MoJ and appointing a minister is that it's not a role of management and development anymore, it's one of rescue and resuscitation.
DeleteIt's miracles, not ministers that's needed.
From inews:
Delete"Ms Walker (the Feminist candidate in Shipley) aimed to unseat Mr Davies following his repeated attempts to derail legislation aimed at protecting women and girls from male violence and his comments that “feminist zealots” exaggerate gender inequalities in the UK.
"Philip Davies’ track record of misogyny should have no place in Parliament. It is a national embarrassment that he sits on the Women and Equalities Committee,” Ms Walker said in a statement as she launched her election bid."
Meanwhile the well paid Sonia Crozier launches a plea for 400 Probation Officers. Perhaps she & the other collaborators in the TR clusterfuck ought to be (a) ashamed & (b) brought to account for the devastation they imposed upon the profession and the careers & lives they affected.
Its unlikely the collection of wet wipes known as napo will do anything other than "welcome" the announcement.
Pretty long, but we'll worth a read.
ReplyDeletehttps://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/06/butter-judges-release-prisoners-david-lidington-can-survive-justice-secretary/
Missing links managers given the boot! In meltdown and staff kept in the dark..can Jim Brown shed any light? Are the keys going to be handed back to MOJ soon?
ReplyDelete"can Jim Brown shed any light?"
DeleteI'm afraid not! This blog only operates because people are willing to share information.
Phil Andrew chief executive of working links was instrumental in its take over by Aurelius. He has mysteriously left working links after telling CRC staff that he recognised there were some 'issues to resolve' and would see tonit that their views were acted on. So the Aurelius/working links coalition of chaos continues and we are supposed to believe it is strong and stable. Strong and stable my arse!
ReplyDeleteOh if only Chris Edwards and Yvonne Thomas of CGM CRC would " throw the towel in " unfortunately like Teresa May they are Competently Incompetent and believe they're doing the best for staff and offenders alike - as 21:10 my arse that are !!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't know about Chris and Yvonne throwing the towel in, but I do know that 2 more experienced staff have handed their notices in, at this rate there will be no PO's left. I think there are now only 7 PO's covering the whole of Manchester city office and its a big area. They are grinding us down until we give up worn down under mounting caseloads and working in a blame culture where we are micro managed to death to ensure we hit those targets. I wish interswereve would disappear, its sad to see my colleagues go.
Delete2013/15, the provation service is decimated by the ideological fuckwittery of Numpty Grayling, Dame Edna Average, Romeo & the colluding greedy bastards formerly known as Chief Officers & Trust Boards. Hundreds of staff are shafted, constructively dismissed & have their entitlement to an Enhanced Voluntary Redundancy package stolen from under their noses while the union/s were whimpering in a corner.
ReplyDelete2016/17, the NPS is desperate for PO grades because the amazing TR project is, 'ow-do-you-say, a crock of shit.
Now the NPS is brazenly advertising to recruit 400 POs.
Wonder what the union/s have to say to those who lost their careers?