In episode three of the Law for Lawmakers podcast, former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland draws upon his experiences at the top of government to shed light on the role of the executive in upholding the Rule of Law.  

Born in Wales, Sir Robert qualified as a barrister in 1991 and practised criminal law for nearly two decades. Elected as a Conservative MP in 2010, he served as Solicitor General, Minister for Prisons, and then Justice Secretary.  

Addressing challenges to the Rule of Law in this episode, Sir Robert warns that a culture of increasing personal attacks has left judges fearing for their safety, putting judicial independence at risk.

“We are seeing an increasing naming of judges, individual judges, which I think is leading not just to security concerns, but also real fears amongst the judiciary that they are becoming the targets of ire and opprobrium, and their job is that their working life is no longer a safe one. This is crazy.”

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While defending people’s right to comment on and critique court rulings, he urges the media and politicians to criticise verdicts responsibly, bearing in mind the pressures judges face.  

In this climate, he adds, it is crucial that the Justice Secretary acts on their duty to protect the judiciary from politicisation.

Elsewhere in the interview, Sir Robert expresses his opposition to calls for the UK to withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights (‘ECHR’).  

Leaving the convention could jeopardise security arrangements in Northern Ireland, as well as post-Brexit trading agreements with the EU, he warns.  

If it serious about addressing challenges arising from migrant flow and asylum seeking, the UK needs to work with its international partners, not isolate itself from them, he adds.

“Our tradition is to get involved and to lead. It is no coincidence that Britain is one of the largest economies in the world with a global reach.”

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The podcast launched on Wednesday 25 March 2026 - new episodes are released fortnightly, and can be listened to here.

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