We need more Black and Asian judges say ministers

Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has criticised the lack of diversity in the judiciary.

Clarke, alongside junior minister Lord McNally said more women and people from BME communities were needed so cases could be heard by judges who were more representative of the general population.

The ministers believe the judiciary does not reflect the society which it judges and is a 'threat to the harmonious nature of our society', according to Lord McNally.

Both ministers were giving evidence to the Lords Constitution Committe this week, with Lord McNally adding,

I don’t think you can have a really harmonious society if your judiciary, however excellent, does not seem to reflect the society in which it is dispensing justice to.

You don’t sacrifice quality for that aim, but I think we are right to make sure, or point in the direction of, having a judiciary that in some way reflects the society to which they are delivering justice.

That’s me, but it’s one I feel very strongly about because I think that’s how you keep society harmonious.”

Clarke added that the judiciary must be independent and chosen on merit but added the aim was to improve diversity.

We’ve got to speed up, we’ve got to achieve more on the ground. In gender terms, we should have an ever steadily and more rapidly rising proportion of women.

What worries me more, actually, because the figures are worse, on black and minority ethnic representation we should be trying to make sure that the bench starts looking somewhat more like the general population so long as you’ve got the most talented and independent people selected from the population.”

Picture: Judge Constance-Briscoe