Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Tugendhat Excerpts

Tuesday 8th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

May we have very brief questions now, as we are short of time?

[Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling) (Con)]

Very briefly, Mr Speaker. The Lord Chancellor will remember that there used to be a convention involving judges not speaking publicly other than in their written declarations. Does he agree that speaking publicly can sometimes make people confused about what is the judgment of the court and what is personal opinion?

[Robert Buckland]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The judgments speak for themselves, and the judges cannot really answer back when it comes to criticism. That is why I am here to defend them.