OPINION Judges are putting their greed ahead of principles
The legal establishment and Government ministers will read the Sunday Mail’s front-page story today with bewildered dismay.
It beggars belief that a number of Scotland’s top serving and retired judges have been striking tawdry moonlighting deals to preside over civil cases for some of the world’s most regressive and barbaric regimes.
Not content with six-figure taxpayerfunded salaries and pension pots most of us could only dream of, they have decided to cash in on this country’s globally lauded reputation for fair and decent justice.
In doing so, they are lending an air of credibility to medieval and arguably corrupt systems of law that happily permit the flogging of women for committing adultery, the persecution of gay people and the locking up of political activists.
Who knows how much the likes of Lord Hope of Craighead or Lord McGhie are being paid (though you can be sure it is a huge sum) and whether first- class flights and other benefits are included in these questionable packages. What seems absolutely clear, however, is that they are demeaning not only their own reputations but also the reputation of Scotland’s judiciary.
The comments about Sharia law from Sir David Edward, who travelled to Qatar to take the judicial oath despite never sitting on any cases, are in themselves concerning.
He argued that there is a “misunderstanding about what Sharia is”, claiming that it wasn’t “all about cutting off hands”. Well, sorry, Sir David, but a legal system that in any way condones cutting off people’s hands shouldn’t be one any judge has anything to do with – even if it’s only the non-Sharia civil branch.
While there is no suggestion that they are acting outwith the law, their actions smack of craven greed over principle.
If the legal establishment proves unwilling to step in and take action to regulate this unpalatable sideline, then the Scottish Government should.
At the very least, MSP Alex Neil’ s suggestion that a judicial register of interests is put in place would be a welcome start.
If these judges want to throw their lot in with the UAE, fine – move to a penthouse in Dubai built by slave labour from the subcontinent, sit in a court doling out 100 lashes each to petty criminals, and make sure you don’t get caught having a pint after work.
They are lending an air of credibility to some medieval and arguably corrupt systems of law
Otherwise, they should be content to work within, and represent, a system of law respected around the world rather than compromising its integrity.