England: Fully diverse judiciary more than a century away

England: Fully diverse judiciary more than a century away

Lubna Shuja

It will take over 125 years for black people to be properly represented in the judiciary, the Law Society of England and Wales has said.

Research by the society found that it would take until the year 2149 for the representation of black people to match their presence in the general population.

It is estimated that Asian people would achieve representation reflective of their presence in the general population by 2033.

Women, who make up 35.4 per cent of judges, are expected to achieve parity with their general population figure within a decade.

Lubna Shuja, president of the Law Society, said: “We need a judiciary that truly reflects our diverse society. We must take action and make real, lasting change so our judges can represent the people who come before them in court.

“We urge the government to address the structural barriers that are holding back talented candidates.”

The UK government said it has invested more than £1 million in the recruitment of a wider range of magistrates.

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