Attorney General to address sub judice inquiry

On Wednesday 21st January, the Procedure Committee will conduct its fourth oral evidence session regarding the sub judice resolution in the House of Commons. The session will feature the Attorney General, the Rt. Hon. Lord Hermer KC, who will share insights on how the sub judice rule affects legal proceedings. His extensive background in law positions him uniquely to address concerns about whether the rule imposes an undue limitation on the freedom of speech for parliamentarians. It may also delve into cases when parliamentary discussions could jeopardise ongoing trials and how social media influences MPs’ conversations about court matters.

This inquiry arises from a request by the Speaker to review the functioning of the sub judice resolution, which aims to maintain ‘comity’ between Parliament and the courts to ensure that court outcomes are not influenced by parliamentary discourse. As a platform for public discourse, Parliament must balance its role in discussing issues of national importance with the necessity of allowing courts to execute their functions without interference. The committee will assess if the resolution established in 2001 remains effective in this regard. The evidence session on 21st January will be broadcast live on Parliament Live at 14:45

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