The judiciary is still dominated by white and privately educated men, finds an April 2017 JUSTICE report (pdf). The United Kingdom remains significantly worse in terms of diversity than other European and common law jurisdictions.
In the Working Party’s view:
‘a senior judiciary that so markedly does not reflect the ethnic, gender or social composition of the nation is a serious constitutional issue. Much more must be done to strengthen diversity for reasons of legitimacy, quality and fairness.’
The report highlights six areas for improvement: valuing difference; ensuring accountability; fair and proactive recruitment; attractive, inclusive career paths and working conditions, and practical implementation of policy recommendations.
