New Clause 2 - Mode of trial on indictment (no. 2)
Terrorism (Northern Ireland) Bill
11:45 am
Lorely Burt (Shadow Minister, Northern Ireland Affairs; Solihull, Liberal Democrat)
The point about three judges and one having nationalist tendencies and another having other tendencies would negate the whole ethos of the system in which judges, by virtue of the fact that they are judges, should be independent. We are in no way criticising the existing judicial system in which judges are above reproach and independent, but if there were three judges, the quality of their decisions would give additional confidence to all sectors of the community; they would not be representative of different sectors of the community.