Rt. Hon. Lord Hoffmann | Social Justice Debate | Proposition (3/8) | Oxford Union

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Activists are increasingly turning to the law in their efforts to bring about change. Legal rulings on abortion, the right to assisted suicide, environmental protections, immigration, and LGBTQIA+ rights provision show that the advancement of civil liberties is often behind the bench instead of at the ballot box. Whilst some celebrate this approach, others question whether judges, so often criticised for their unaccountability and lack of diversity, are best placed to legislate on social justice issues. Should we keep activism out of the courtroom and instead place our faith in the political process?
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Proposition Speakers
1. Rt. Hon. Lord Hoffmann
Former UK Supreme Court judge and current non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong. He has criticised the European Court of Human Rights for increasing activism and judicial overreach.
2. Jeffrey Dudgeon MBE
Former Ulster Unionist Party councillor, who successfully brought the landmark case of Dudgeon v United Kingdom to the European Court of Human Rights, challenging Northern Ireland’s laws criminalising homosexuality.
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Opposition Speakers
1. Jolyon Maugham QC
Barrister and Founder and Director of the Good Law Project, whose mission is ‘to achieve change through the law’. He has brought multiple legal cases challenging Brexit and the Government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Helen Mountfield QC
Principal of Mansfield College and practicing barrister, specialising in human rights and equality law. She represented the winning parties before the Supreme Court in R (Miller) v Secretary of State, and has co-authored seven editions of Blackstone’s Guide to the Human Rights Act 1998.
3. Yasmine Ahmed
UK Director of Human Rights Watch and former Executive Director of Rights and Security International. She has successfully litigated on issues including arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the detention of women and children in Northeast Syria.
Kindly sponsored by Sidley Austin LLP, an international law firm, employing approximately 2,000 lawyers in 20 offices worldwide, specialising in a variety of areas in both litigation and corporate practices.
Notice has been given of a Private Business Motion on The Society's Rules (Reform) to which Special Attention has been applied by Standing Committee.
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[@loxwjman]

regardless whether you agree with him or not, to speak like this at 87 is very impressive.

[@ZaGaijinSmash]

That was most enjoyable. The US needs judges to make such decisions because their political system is too ineffective.

[@CurtHowland]

Ah, but always the question is, ineffective at what?

[@exnihiloadnihilum5094]

The system became a problem and politicized when the federal government decided it had powers it did not constitutionally have.

[@janicechildress2952]

There is only one party Left today in the U.S. that is caring and representing their constituents. Plus dark money campaign and Political Action Committees (PAC) have candidates compromised before taking the oath of office🤠💪

[@alkismavridis1]

Very well said. Keep politics out of the Courts and Yankee nonsense on the other side of the Atlantic.

[@ongxa9346]

It's always entertaining to hear the ruling classes debate the fate of the poor, in evening dress, no less.

[@Law9652]

In effect, the ruling class rule over others. How remarkable.

[@heycidskyja4668]

Show some respect to your social betters

[@BBshark000]

Yeah I mean it's certainly much better gathering 8 homeless people to a debate on social justice! Or is it?

[@edwinamendelssohn5129]

Social justice is not one issue

[@mostlyguesses8385]

Good speaker but he overstates how US would need Constitional Amendments to change things, or that each state prob would go w diff abortion or discrimination laws so the better views might become clear and then spread. He just misses how US works, the UK is very centralized and also so socialized it is a different world..

[@maku8075]

He successfully doged to speak on social justice.

[@aidenbeddall8638]

I hate lamb chops.

[@bestdjaf7499]

Abortions are legal in the US. I think the US generally better than for example France & many other European countries. "The Offences against the Person Act 1861, in England and Wales, prohibits administering drugs or using instruments to procure an abortion (section 58) and procuring drugs or other items to cause an abortion (section 59), although subsequent law has provided for a range of grounds which allow abortion to be widely available."

[@dale5497]

Better? Less respect for life is how I view it