The Phone Hacking Scandal

Well isn't this as hot mess? For those who haven't been watching – the News of the World (a major Sunday newspaper in the UK) has been very very naughty. In fact, no I won't even be light about this. They have been seriously sick and twisted individuals with all the moral compassion of a lizard.

They have been hacking phones for stories. Phones of the police, phones of celebrities – and phones of crime victims. In one case the parents of murdered teenager Milly Dowler thought their daughter was alive because some of the texts on her phone had been deleted. She was dead – but the News of the World had hacked her phone for the story. They had deleted messages – potential evidence - because the memory was full and they wanted to make room for more.

The News of the World tried first to claim it was the overzelous actions of a private detective, then that it was the rogue actions of a maverick reporter (and if it was, didn't anyone question where she got this information?) – but increasingly it became clear that it was wall to wall stink.

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On diversity and the judiciary

I read this article about how grossly unrepresentative the judiciary is and I'm having a think

I am torn. Which seems odd. After all, the judiciary is grossly unrepresentative. It is extremely white, extremely male and, (though not mentioned by the article since we often fall through the cracks when discussing discrimination and representation) extremely straight as well as being overwhelmingly cis and able bodied..

Until relatively recently, to be a judge you had to be married. Sound bemusing? It was a rule brought in in the 1970s to expressly prevent gay people becoming judges. It was openly admitted that that was the reason for the rule.

When I left law school, the judiciary wasn't on my mind. In fact when I went to law school I knew it would be impossible. I also chose my law school on the understanding that I wouldn't be a judge and I would have little chance becoming a barrister if I wanted to be an openly gay man. I cynically – and realistically – assumed these doors would be closed and didn't try waste my time dragging at a locked door that would be so unlikely to open for me.

There have only ever been 2 openly gay judges in the High Court. One of whom has now moved off to the various echelons of EU law.

And we know that because of the various blinkers of privilege, this nearly all super-privileged judiciary is going to have big freaking holes in their understanding. We've seen in decisions and in processes that marginalised people of all stripes tend to get a rawer deal in the courts than the privileged, ye gods we know that.

So, why am I torn?

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