Law Pod UK latest: Lord Sumption on the Strasbourg Court
25 February 2025
In Episode 215 Jonathan Sumption, formerly of the Supreme Court and author of five volumes of the Hundred Years War, says, after some reflection that “the ECHR is manifestly not a sensible and democratic way of deciding what the law should be in a democracy.
“The Strasbourg Court is a wholly irresponsible body…in the sense that it is not responsible to anyone”
Listen to Rosalind English in conversation with Lord Sumption about the reasons why this country should prepare for withdrawal from the ECHR; the “mission creep” of Articles 6 and 8; the avid adoption of the “living instrument” doctrine whereby that court extends its jurisdiction beyond its original remit; the “contempt” showed by the Strasbourg Court at the Swiss government’s democratic handling of climate change emissions, and the possible reputational consequences of the UK removing itself from the Council of Europe.
Law Pod UK aims to inform and enlighten our audience on important developments in civil and public law with a range of guests from 1 Crown Office Row and other legal experts. Law Pod UK is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audioboom, Player FM, ListenNotes, Podbean, iHeart, Radio Public, Deezer or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
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