Bingham Lecture 2024 : The Rule of Law in an Age of Populism
Date: 14 October 2024
Time: 18.00 - 19.00 (registration from 17.30) Followed by a reception
Venue: The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn 8 South Square, London, WC1R 5ET
Event Details
The 2024 Bingham Lecture was given by the Attorney General, the Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC. The lecture was chaired by Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws LT KC, with closing remarks by Bingham Centre Director, Jan van Zyl Smit.
The lecture, "The Rule of Law in An Age of Populism", was Lord Hermer's first full-length speech since his appointment as Attorney General in July 2024. Lord Hermer discussed the profound linkages between the rule of law, democracy and human rights, and examined threats posed by populists who seek to delegitimise the institutions that are essential for upholding these values. He went on to outline the government's plans for rule of law restoration and resilience in three principal areas: "rebuilding the UK's international rule of law leadership"; "defending and strengthening Parliament's role in upholding the rule of law" and "promoting a rule of law culture".
Lord Hermer's lecture has generated extensive media coverage and discussion by commentators (see panel alongside).
The Bingham Lecture series honours the memory of the Rt. Hon Lord Bingham of Cornhill KG, after whom the Bingham Centre is named. This flagship series of in-person lectures, which was launched in 2012 and paused for the Covid-19 pandemic, has previously featured speakers including the late Lord Judge, Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Justice Angelika Nussberger (Vice-President, European Court of Human Rights, 2017-2019), Irene Khan (Director, International Development Law Organisation) and John Bercow MP (while Speaker of the House of Commons).
