To defend the independence of the judiciary, representatives of the bar have now called for the next lord chancellor to be a person whose ‘experience is combined with the requisite authority among ministerial colleagues’ in a thinly veiled attack on Liz Truss.

The Bar Council gave top priority to ‘judicial independence’ in their ‘Manifesto for Justice’, published in anticipation of the general election. They claimed that Truss ‘did not stand up for the judges who were attacked by the press as ‘enemies of the people’ and that the next government should better prove their commitment to maintaining the rule of law and judiciary independence.

The manifesto also later demands ‘appropriate funding’ for the legal system, as a recent issue has arisen because ‘ solicitors and barristers who were once prepared to undertake publicly funded work are choosing not to do so because the rates of pay have become so low’.

With regards to Brexit, the bar manifesto continues to state that ‘unless a strategic plan for the future of our legal services is devised and delivered, our exit from the EU will damage the international market value of the legal services sector and undermine acquired rights and protections for our citizens and our environment.’

The Conservative Party manifesto will most likely be published later in the week, with Labour following suit soon afterward.