‘Legal firms pursuing troops is outrageous’
In her first newspaper interview as first female Lord Chancellor, Liz Truss says she will examine how millions were spent on supporting spurious claims against Iraq veterans
When Liz Truss becomes the first woman ever to preside over the start of the legal year tomorrow morning, the ceremony will have a noticeable difference. Dressed in her Lord Chancellor’s black silk robe, she will be followed by an official carrying the train during the procession to avoid it getting caught in her heels.
The moment of pageantry, which will see her address 700 judges in Parliament’s Westminster Hall, is a reminder of the historical significance of her new Cabinet job, but also its challenges.
Made Justice Secretary by Theresa May in July, Ms Truss’s appointment was met with howls of protest from the legal establishment and a ministerial resignation within days.
Critics said her lack of a legal background and Cabinet experience made her unsuitable for the role, though others saw misogyny in complaints about the first female Lord Chancellor in 800 years.
Two months on, Ms Truss uses her first newspaper interview in the job to round on her critics and pledge wholesale reforms of the prison system.
“I’m getting on with the job,” Ms Truss tells The Sunday Telegraph. “It’s an ancient role, it goes back centuries and centuries.
“I’m somebody who is passionate about the rule of law. I think it’s the basis of a free society and to have the job of upholding that is a huge honour.”
But is passion enough? Lord Faulks, the justice minister, appeared to think not – he quit within days of her appointment, questioning whether she had the “clout” to challenge Mrs May. What was her reaction? “I’ve never met Lord Faulks,” she says, revealing that he did not call before going public with his criticism.
“I’ve not met him or spoken to him. Since I got this job, I’ve been focusing 100 per cent of my time on getting things done.”
Fewer than 100 days in the job, Ms Truss has already had one controversial topic fall on her desk – the treatment of British veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan at the hands of human rights lawyers.
Her frustration at their experiences is clear. “It’s completely outrageous what’s been happening, when people go overseas and serve our country and are then pursued by spurious claims,” she says.
She criticises “ambulance chasers” looking to profit from false allegations against soldiers and pledges a new crackdown on legal aid to ensure that only the “vulnerable” are given support.
Ms Truss also says she will personally examine how millions of pounds were given to legal firms pursuing vexatious claims.
“I absolutely understand the anger. I feel angry that our public money has been spent on such things which nobody would support,” she says.
“I will be looking at how we best make sure that it doesn’t happen again and looking into what’s happened in the past.”
She also has a message to young recruits worried about the situation: those “fighting on our behalf ” have the full support of the Government.
The Justice Department is the second Cabinet venture for Ms Truss, one of the shining stars from the 2010 Tory intake who have established themselves at the top level of government.
A 41-year-old Oxford University graduate – she studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics – Ms Truss’s tenure at the Environment Department drew praise for largely avoiding controversy.
However, critics see a cautious politician short on rhetorical flourishes. A Tory conference speech two years ago drew mockery from the sketch writers and consequently went viral online.
The South West Norfolk MP’s caution is on display over the British Bill of Rights, the Tories’ overhauling of human rights laws. Five times she responds to questions about the reform by saying merely that details will be revealed “in due course”.
She is more forthcoming on prison safety, one of her top priories in office. An extra £14 million a year will be spent employing 400 extra officers in England’s 10 most “challenging” prisons. Staff will be given more time to supervise inmates, helping to tackle a culture of drug taking and violent behaviour, while a new campaign to encourage former soldiers to become prison officers is also announced today.
Ms Truss sees prison reform as “one of the main social challenges we face as a country” and believes those who have served on the front line can help. She says ex-soldiers are “brilliantly suited” to mentoring inmates, adding that their “discipline and integrity bring a really important sense of purpose”.
“It is about the value of discipline, but also the approach to work – the importance of holding down a job, the importance of contributing to society. It’s all of those aspects,” she says.
“I think people who have served in our military, our incredibly brave Armed Forces, are ideally suited to motivating people and making that change happen.”
Since taking the role, there has been speculation that Ms Truss is ready to scrap some of her predecessor Michael Gove’s announcements from the past 18 months.
She dismisses the speculation. “I worked with Michael Gove for two years at the Department of Education. He’s absolutely right that we need to reform our prisons,” she says.
Tackling violence among inmates, bringing down reoffending rates and closing Victorian prisons are all on her to-do list, as they were for Mr Gove.
The pair have even spoken on the phone since she took the job and only last week Mr Gove texted his best wishes ahead of her conference speech.
A supporter of staying in the EU, Ms Truss is still adjusting to the Brexit vote. “It was a slightly surreal moment, but as far as I’m concerned it’s water under the bridge now,” she says.
“The British public have been very clear about what they want and it’s the job of this Government to get on and deliver it.”
Ms Truss also welcomes this newspaper’s campaign for a new Royal Yacht Britannia. “I’m sure the Prime Minister will be noting it very carefully”, she says, and warns that revelations about corruption in British football may have damaged the country’s global brand.
However, many goals she manages to achieve from her long list of targets, one historic change is already secured: ending 800 years of maleonly Lord Chancellors.
As she processes to Parliament from Westminster Abbey tomorrow, trainbearer in tow, that change will be there for all to see – judges included.
‘I worked with Michael Gove for two years. He’s absolutely right that we need to reform our prisons’