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Select committee: Constitution Committee

13th Report - The rule of law: holding the line against tyranny and anarchy

Published 20 November 2025

Constitution Committee Rule of Law Report on parliament.uk ↗

At a glanceGovernment response published 23 February 2026 (deadline 20 February 2026)

The government's response

Letter from David Lammy MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor & Secretary of State for Justice to Lord Strathclyde, Chair of the Constitution Committee, responding to the Committee's report on The Rule of Law

Published 23 February 2026. The deadline was 20 February 2026.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Lord Chancellor welcomes the Committee's report and its emphasis on judicial independence as a 'shared responsibility', and says that across Government 'we will continue to consider' its recommendations, without responding to them individually.

  • He highlights the Committee's conclusion that maintaining judicial independence is a 'shared responsibility' of the judiciary, Government and Parliament, noting that the Lady Chief Justice made the same point to the Justice Committee.
  • He states that independent courts are of 'absolute and fundamental importance' and describes them as 'a vital protection against overreach by the executive'.
  • He is 'keen to build constitutional capital' on judicial independence through a 'bipartisan alliance', and 'expect[s]' to write to the Committee Chair and the Chair of the Justice Committee as he thinks through next steps. No date is given.
  • He points to the inclusion of law and rights education in the new statutory citizenship curriculum at key stages 1 and 2, and to Attorney General's Office public legal education work, including a Youth Ambassadors Programme.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error

Government Response to the Committee's report on The Rule of Law

Published 23 February 2026.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government welcomes the Committee's report and expresses agreement with its conclusions in several areas, including judicial independence, legislative standards and the accessibility of legislation, while setting out existing and planned work in other areas.

  • On judicial independence, the government "respectfully agrees with the Committee's conclusions" on politicians and the media criticising judges, and says the Lord Chancellor, his predecessor and the Attorney General "will continue" to speak out in defence of the judiciary.
  • On legislation, the government agrees with the Committee's characterisation of rule of law compliant legislation. On the Law Commission's consolidation work it says that "wherever possible we will look to take it forward", subject to balancing other constraints, including parliamentary capacity.
  • On judicial review, the government says it recognises its "vital role" but that the process must "continue to be fit for purpose". It cites changes for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and says it is working with the judiciary to consider further procedural change.
  • On civil justice, the government says it "recognises the pressure on the advice sector", cites legal aid fee uplifts, and says the Ministry of Justice and HMCTS are "carefully considering" the Civil Justice Council's enforcement recommendations.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error

Sources