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Ethnic monitoring judicial appointments

01 November 1991

The Lord Chancellor, Lord MacKay of Clashfern, sensitive to charges of racism in the legal profession, announced that ethnic monitoring of judicial appointments would begin on 1 October 1991, and has appointed the chair of the Bar Race Relations Committee to work out ways of recruiting more black judges and QCs. At present there is only one black judge. Then on 12 October 1991 the Bar Council agreed proposals for an ethnic quota for all barristers' chambers. This was set at 6% (the equivalent of one barrister in an average sized chambers) and 12% pupil barristers.

The measure was not uniformly welcomed by black barristers. One, Sally Barber, said she wanted an organic, not an imposed solution, to racism at the Bar. "I don't want to be a victim of positive discrimination", she said. But the Society of Black Lawyers threatened a boycott of the Bar Council if the measure did not get through.

Times 8.10.91; Guardian 13.10.91.