header-logo header-logo

Viscount Haldane: the forgotten statesman

25 February 2021 / Alec Samuels
Issue: 7922 / Categories: Features , Constitutional law
printer mail-detail
40738
Alec Samuels reflects on the life & times of Viscount Haldane

Viscount Haldane (1856-1928) statesman, philosopher, and lawyer, made an extraordinary impact upon his life and times, and beyond. A Scot, from Oxford he went to the English Bar, became a QC in his thirties, specialising in property and constitutional law, was 25 years an MP, and over ten years a cabinet minister. The Order of Merit was recognition indeed as one of the top 20 public figures in the country in his time. Today we would characterise him as an intellectual polymath.

The secretary of state for war (1905-1912), Haldane reorganised the army, set up the territorials, founded the Royal Flying Corps, and thoroughly prepared the army for the Great War. Field Marshal Lord Haig, commander in chief of the army for the latter part of WWI, visited Haldane at the end of the war and acknowledged Haldane as the greatest single contributor to victory.

For his 17 years as a judge, many contributions to our jurisprudence may be found

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll