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Farewell to Judge

Lord Judge has never been afraid of a few headlines and a valedictory lecture at University College London ensured that he got them for what may be one last time. He chose to deal with somewhat political issues. Michael (now Lord) Howard, who was in the audience, left his seat saying the speech was “music” to his ears. This was probably not addressed to the retiring judge’s warnings on the independence of the judiciary; the need for its adequate funding; or his scathing observations on attempts by the Home Secretary to argue that resolutions of the House of Commons should be treated as equivalent to statute.

The subject of agreement was Lord Judge’s peroration on the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The former Lord Chief Justice saw no reason for UK courts to