Book Launch: Enemies of the People? How Judges Shape Society

Joshua Rozenberg discusses his book Enemies of the People? How Judges Shape Society with Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd PC, Helen Mountfield QC and Paul Craig. Do judges use the power of the state for the good of the nation? Or do they create new laws in line with their personal views? When newspapers reported a court ruling on Brexit, senior judges were shocked to see themselves condemned as enemies of the people. But that did not stop them ruling that an order made by the Queen on the advice of her prime minister was just ‘a blank piece of paper’. Joshua Rozenberg, in this book, asks how judges can maintain public confidence while making hard choices.

An audio recording of this event is available to listen to on Soundcloud

Joshua Rozenberg

Joshua Rozenberg is the only full-time journalist to have been appointed Queen’s Counsel honoris causa. After taking a law degree at Oxford he trained as a solicitor. He is an honorary Master of the Bench of Gray’s Inn and a non-executive board member of the Law Commission. Joshua was the BBC’s legal correspondent for 15 years before moving to newspapers. He now presents the popular Radio 4 series Law in Action, which he launched in 1984 and appears regularly on other news networks in the UK and abroad.

The Rt Hon The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd PC

John Thomas practiced at the Commercial Bar in London from 1972 to 1996, becoming a QC in 1984. He was appointed to the High Court of England and Wales in 1996 and was Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales (2013 - 2017). He is currently President of the Qatar International Court, an arbitrator at Essex Court Chambers, First Vice-President of the European Law Institute, Chancellor of Aberystwyth University and participates in the business of the House of Lords.

Helen Mountfield QC

Helen Mountfield QC is an experienced and award-winning barrister, with over 26 years of expertise in constitutional law, human rights and equality law, including particular experience of the higher education sector. She has appeared in many cases in the Supreme Court, European Court of Justice and European Court of Human Rights, and recently featured on the ‘First Hundred Years’ website, which celebrates the history of women in law. Helen is a founder member of Matrix Chambers, an accredited mediator, a Master of the Bench of Gray’s Inn, a Recorder and a deputy High Court Judge. In September 2018, she joined Mansfield College to become the third female Head of House in a row. 

Paul Craig

Paul Craig is Emeritus Professor of English Law, University of Oxford and Emeritus Research Fellow in English Law at St John's College, Oxford. He specializes in constitutional law, administrative law, EU law and comparative public law, and has published extensively in all areas.