New Lord Chancellor pledges to defend ‘international rule of law’ at swearing in

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood was sworn in with new Attorney General Richard Hermer KC and new Solicitor General Sarah Sackman.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice, in central London ahead of her swearing in ceremony (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (PA Wire)

The new Lord Chancellor has pledged to continue “defending the international rule of law and upholding human rights” as she was sworn in at a ceremony in London.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood also said that the judiciary must make decisions “without political pressure and undue influence”, pledging to be a “champion for the rule of law” during the event at the Royal Courts of Justice.

New Attorney General Richard Hermer KC and the Solicitor General, Sarah Sackman, were also sworn in before England and Wales’ top judges on Monday.

They included the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, the president of the Supreme Court, Lord Reed, and the chancellor of the High Court, Sir Julian Flaux.

Ms Mahmood, who was sworn in before several family members and friends, becomes the first female Lord Chancellor to be sworn in before a Lady Chief Justice, and the first employed member of the Bar of England of Wales to hold the role.

She has also become the first Muslim to be appointed to the post, taking her oath of allegiance on the Koran, and said in her speech that she was “the first Lord Chancellor to speak Urdu”.

We will certainly not be seeking to extricate ourselves from the landmark human rights convention drawn up in the aftermath of that war

Shabana Mahmood

In her speech, Ms Mahmood said the new Labour government would continue “defending the international rule of law and upholding human rights” in line with the European Convention on Human Rights, drawn up after the Second World War.

She said: “We will certainly not be seeking to extricate ourselves from the landmark human rights convention drawn up in the aftermath of that war.”

She continued that the judiciary must “never be subjected to the kinds of attacks we saw in recent years when newspaper headlines branded those who uphold the law enemies of the people”.

She also acknowledged the “very deep” challenges faced by the justice system, adding that more should be done to provide access to justice for women and girls “who are the victims of violence and abuse”.

Ms Mahmood, from Small Heath in Birmingham, has been the MP for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010.

She added that she hoped her appointment “shows the next little girl from Small Heath or wherever she may be, even the oldest offices of the land are in reach of us all”.

Addressing the Lord Chancellor, Baroness Carr said: “There will no doubt be challenges and choices to be made today and tomorrow. That is an inevitable feature of governing.

“We will work with you and your ministers as you face these demands.

“I very much look forward to forging a stable, long-term partnership with you as Lord Chancellor within, of course, constitutional bounds, in the service of justice and the achievement of justice.”

Mr Hermer, who is not an MP, said it was a “profound privilege” to hold the role of Attorney General and said it was “our job to speak truth to power”.

Ms Sackman was sworn in after being appointed to the role on July 9, and less than a fortnight after being elected as the MP for Finchley and Golders Green at the recent General Election.