Shabana Mahmood, the British-Pakistani Member of Parliament for Kashmir originally from Birmingham, was sworn in as the new Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom at a ceremony at the Royal Court of Justice in London on Monday.
According to the Lancashire Telegraph, Justice Minister Shabana Mahmood pledged to continue to “defend the international rule of law and respect for human rights”.
The 43-year-old Labor Party member took to social media to share the news with the world on X, writing: “Today I was honored to be sworn in as Lord Chancellor and promise to defend our independent judiciary from interference and undue pressure.
“I will stand for the rule of law. 900 years in this ancient role is more important than ever.”
Mahmood, who is from Small Heath, Birmingham, became the first Muslim woman to be appointed to the post, took the oath of allegiance to the Holy Quran and said in her speech that she was “the first Lord Chancellor to speak Urdu”. .
She was sworn in in the presence of Chief Justice Sue Carr, Chief Justice Robert Reed and Chancellor Julian Faux.
In her speech, Mahmood said the new Labor government would continue to “defend the international rule of law and promote human rights” in line with the European Convention on Human Rights drawn up after World War II.
She also acknowledged the challenges facing the justice system, adding that more should be done to ensure access to justice for women and girls “who are victims of violence and abuse.”
Addressing the Lord Chancellor, Carr said: “Undoubtedly there will be challenges and decisions to be made today and tomorrow. That is an inevitable feature of governance.”
“We will work with you and your ministers as you face these demands. I very much look forward to forming a stable and long-term partnership with you as Lord Chancellor, within constitutional limits of course, in the service of justice and the achievement of justice.”
