Chief Justice accuses Starmer of politicizing courts as hundreds of prisoners walk free early

Keir Starmer appeared to be compared to one of England’s most notorious monarchs by the head of England’s judiciary.

In a one-off speech, Baroness Carr – the chief justice’s first lady – denounced claims that the government deserved credit for the way those involved in the riots were jailed within days over the summer.

He also called for “sustainable and long-term funding” for the courts in a speech delivered as more than 1,000 prisoners were released after 40% of their sentences to ease prison overcrowding.

In controversial comments about the separation of powers, he cited the action on the riots as an example of how the “constitutional boundaries” between political and legal matters had been wrongly “blurred”, comparing it to King John, who 1215 he was forced to sign the Magna Carta which prevented the monarch from putting himself above the law or interfering in the courts and became the cornerstone of basic liberties.

Baroness Carr, who was appointed last October, said in her first Mansion House speech: “Suggestions that the list of riot cases quickly moved through the criminal courts were a result of government action or pressure it was a false constitutional narrative.”

The list of court cases was “a judicial function, it cannot be otherwise.”

She continued, “You only have to think of King John . . .”

The Magna Carta “came about because it was interfering with the audience list for its own benefit. This was the reason why he was forced to agree not to ‘delay or deny’ justice”.

During the reign of King John, some of those accused of crimes had been allowed to “buy” a favorable court sentence, while others who were unjustly accused were free in exchange for making a donation to the king’s coffers.

The Magna Carta clause to which Baroness Carr refers in agreeing not to delay or deny justice was inserted to prevent this from happening.

In the immediate aftermath of the summer riots, Sir Keir was praised for his response to the crisis. Hundreds of criminals were quickly brought to justice and many were sentenced to prison.

Sir Keir said at the time: “Make no doubt: those involved in this violence will face the full force of the law.

“The police will make arrests. People will be remanded in custody. Charges will follow. And convictions will follow. I guarantee you will regret having a part in this upheaval.”

He paid tribute to the “robust and swift” response of the criminal justice system and said the rioters would be convicted within days.

“This should send a powerful message to anyone involved: you are likely to be dealt with within a week,” he added.

Baroness Carr, the first woman to head the judiciary, a role that dates back almost 800 years, said it was vital to protect the rule of law, first established by the Magna Carta.

He also said that the courts must have sufficient funds to function properly.

He claimed that one judge, whom he did not name, had been forced to climb onto a leaking courthouse roof to fix it themselves.

Courts must be “proper places for the judiciary and legal staff to work. We cannot continue to have judges (as I understand one did) taking it upon themselves to climb onto the roof of a courthouse to clean a channel that was blocked and causing a leak.”

“We have a judicial system that has almost been taken for granted as the envy of the world,” he added in a speech at the annual event in London on Tuesday.

“We need digitization, we need to harness the power of artificial intelligence in appropriate ways, we need flexible and modern courtrooms and IT systems, and experienced staff to stand their ground.”

He told the audience of judges hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London that an effective judiciary is a benefit to British democracy, its citizens and businesses.

“The issue is essentially simple: the cost of justice is not the same as its value,” he said. “And its value for individuals, for the economy, for society as a whole, goes far beyond numbers.

“The investment in the courts and tribunals is one that returns many dividends. There is a price in a future without him.”