Massive Shock As Two More Old White Men Get Appointed to the Supreme Court
Yesterday it was announced that Lord Lloyd-Jones and Sir David Richards would fill two vacancies in the UK’s Supreme Court.
The appointment of Lloyd-Jones is slightly unusual because he is technically replacing himself. He reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 at the start of this year but then the mandatory retirement age was raised to 75 only a couple of months later. As such, Lloyd-Jones could apply for his own job and, since his appointment, can do it until he has to retire…again.
Meanwhile Sir David Richards found himself in a slightly similar position. He is six months older than Lloyd-Jones and so was forced to retire from the Court of Appeal when he reached the mandatory retirement age. Now that age has changed, Richards found himself in the position of being able to apply for the vacancy in the Supreme Court and he will replace Lady Arden.
On the surface these are all acceptable replacements. No one would deny the legal knowledge or skills that these two have or will bring to the role. Nevertheless the fact remains that the highest court in the land is very old, very white and very male. While the other branches of government are slowly becoming more diverse it feels like the Supreme Court is moving in the opposite direction. Of course legal expertise has to remain the paramount qualifier for the position but when the courts do not reflect the society they interpret the law for then it is a real problem.
There is an attempt to reflect the life of the UK but even this leads to a mis-step.