Exclusive: Lord Chancellor’s speech was badly judged and has not gone down well with new QCs
Justice Secretary Liz Truss made a speech to new QCs on silks day that surprised and even outraged her audience, Legal Cheek can exclusively reveal.
This week, new QCs, their families, friends and colleagues gathered at Westminster Hall to celebrate taking silk. There, Legal Cheek understands Truss made a speech which has been described by those in attendance as peculiar and badly judged.
The speech in question was one about business and the economy, and how Great Britain would continue to dominate on the world’s stage. It was not a speech about justice: Legal Cheek has been informed there was no mention of the judiciary nor the recent Supreme Court Brexit case. Somewhat strange given that the Lord Chancellor was addressing 113 new QCs.
For some, Truss’s address felt inappropriate for the occasion. Though noting that silks day was overall a happy occasion, insiders have told us quite a few people at the event were surprised by the speech (and not in a good way).
Though the, usually chatty, legal Twitterati has kept surprisingly shtum on this, we have spied a few social media outbursts.
Like this one. An attendee — who was at the ceremony to support his newly appointed QC wife — posted this on his Facebook page.
He wasn’t the only person feeling miffed. Have a look at this tweet:
Am hearing Liz Truss made a show of herself in front of new QCs today, wittering on about trade, economy instead of, you know, *justice*
— (((Mark Dowling))) (@mark_dowling) February 13, 2017
The Ministry of Justice has been unable to provide us with a full copy of the speech. It has also not responded to our request for comment.
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