Top female judge attacks failure to appoint women to Supreme Court

Britain’s most senior female judge has expressed disappointment at the failure of her male colleagues to promote another woman to the top of the judiciary.

Lady Justice Hale, who is still the only woman amongst the 12 Supreme Court judges, said: “While I am flattered and proud to have been the first woman to have been appointed as a law lord in 2004, I don’t want to be the last. I’m disappointed that in the 10 years since I was appointed, not one among the 13 subsequent appointments to this court has been a woman.”

Speaking at a press conference at the start of the legal year, Lady Hale also said she objected to the continued use of wigs in court. “I am not in favour of barristers or judges wearing wigs,” she said, adding: “My main objection is that they are men’s wigs.”

She stopped short of recommending positive discrimination, but stressed that while she had no say in appointments, she was the only woman on the consultation panel.