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New Statesman​

Letter of the week: Judicial review

Photo by Kunst and Scheidulin / Alamy Stock Photo As a former judicial colleague of Jonathan Sumption, I have always had great respect for his expertise as a historian and international lawyer. I found his article on Israel's conduct of the conflict in Gaza as compelling as it was deeply disturbing (Cover Story, 18 July). Baroness Deech's critical response in your latest edition seemed surprisingly aggressive (Correspondence, 25 July). More importantly, it failed entirely to engage with the substance of his analysis of the current situation, or even to offer a note of compassion for the horrific suffering of thousands of ordinary Palestinians of which we read every day. Another of your correspondents suggests that you give equal prominence to 'someone with similar qualifications putting forward the Israeli side of the argument'. That would be a valuable exercise if such a person could be found. Perhaps Baroness Deech has some suggestions. As Jonathan says, we are entitled to ask 'what Israel's defenders would regard as unacceptable, if the current level of Israeli violence in Gaza is not enough'. Robert Carnwath, former Supreme Court justice Independent witnesses According to Baroness Deech (Correspondence, 25 July) the Guide to Judicial Conduct calls on retired judges to be circumspect in voicing controversial opinions. This is wrong for two reasons. First, the guide says no such thing. It states 'there is no prohibition on retired judges… [from] engaging in political activity and wider public debate', so long as they do nothing to tarnish the reputation of the judiciary and the perception of its independence. Second, claiming the Israeli government is guilty of war crimes is hardly controversial. We are all witnesses to the mass killing, maiming and starvation of citizens in Gaza. Numerous reputable NGOs and experts have concluded that Israel is committing genocide. Joel Donovan KC, London W4 Zero imagination Gary Smith's position on green energy (Interview, 25 July) seemed intransigent and unimaginative. There will be no oil or gas jobs in the North Sea in 30 years' time, for the simple reason that there will be no oil or gas left. A transition is needed, as Smith admits, yet he fails to acknowledge net-zero policies will provide it. As the GMB's general secretary, Smith should see the transformative potential in green jobs for his members. Freddie Russell, aged 17, East Sussex Leavers of the left Oliver Eagleton criticises the government for a foreign policy that is too closely aligned with that of the US (The NS Essay, 25 July). It is bizarre to hear this from a Lexiteer. Many Remain supporters warned that erecting barriers between the UK and continental Europe would leave us a vassal of the US. Keir Starmer and his colleagues have made progress in rebuilding economic and security ties with our European allies, but much of the damage of Brexit remains. I would love to hear just one left-wing Brexit supporter take some responsibility for the dire situation we're in. Madeline Thompson, Cambridge Basta Normally I welcome articles on Europe, but this time Italy has had a raw deal (Vanity Fair, 25 July). Brits appreciative of Italian beauty and culture have been inhabiting Tuscany for centuries longer than Sting, Jamie Oliver and New Labour. If you're going to be sour, it's best to get the facts right. The airline is called 'Alitalia': it's a clever play on all' Italia (meaning 'to Italy') and ali Italia (Italian wings). And whatever Wikipedia says, parte means 'part' more often than 'side', but above all, the self-definition of the fascist journalist Malaparte is the obverse of Bonaparte. Perhaps Finn McRedmond would enjoy his Maledetti Toscani (Damned Tuscans)? Ann Lawson Lucas, Beverley, West Yorkshire Own goal Nicholas Lezard's anecdote about his lady-friend's revelation (Down and Out, 25 July) put me in mind of the time I took a girlfriend to Selhurst Park to see Crystal Palace play. She watched the teams warm up at opposite ends of the pitch. Then, five minutes into the match, she asked: 'Why don't they have a ball each so that they don't have to keep fighting for that one?' Clive Collins, Suffolk In sympathy My heart goes out to Hannah Barnes (Out of the Ordinary, 25 July). I hope writing that heart-wrenching column helped a tiny bit. I sometimes think the world is divided between those who have experienced great loss and those who have yet to do so. Margaret Bluman, London N19 Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Write to letters@ We reserve the right to edit letters [See also: One year on, tensions still circle Britain's asylum-seeker hotels] Related