No, the Justice Secretary does not need to be a lawyer

21st July 2026 Why it is far more important to have an effective politician as Lord Chancellor, rather than somebody who happens to be legally qualified. * From time to time, and from cabinet reshuffle to cabinet reshuffle, some politician is appointed to the combined role of Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor who is not a lawyer. It happened again yesterday. And each time this happens, and it has happened a few times now, there is an adverse reaction, a groaning of some lawyers. This post sets out why it really does not matter it the Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor is not a lawyer, and why it is far more important that they are an effective politician within cabinet. * Back in 2007, nearly 20 years ago, a huge and horrible policy and administrative mistake was committed. This huge and horrible mistake was the creation of a “Ministry of Justice” – created by bolting together the old Lord Chancellor’s Department (at that point called the Department of Constitutional Affairs,…