Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Michael Ellis Excerpts
Tuesday 21st November 2023

(1 year, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Michael Ellis Portrait Sir Michael Ellis (Northampton North) (Con)
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Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that the judiciary must not make incendiary comments about Israel? At Walsall magistrates court, a district judge recently acquitted defendants who had vandalised a factory, believing it to be supplying Israel, and is reported to have told them their action was

“proportionate in comparison to the crimes against humanity which they were acting to stop.”

Does he agree that judges are supposed to uphold the law, not encourage its breach? This brings our legal system into ill-repute, so will he take this from me as a complaint to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office?

Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. We are not meant to criticise the courts, and I know that such a learned Gentleman will know better; I am sure we can avoid any criticism.