JK Rowling hits out after UKIP’s Suzanne Evans says judges should be under ‘democratic control’
JK Rowling has hit out at a UKIP spokesperson who said that judges should be under “democratic control” after a ruling that the British parliament must vote on the terms of Brexit.
The Harry Potter author hit out at Suzanne Evans, the Parliamentary spokesperson for the UK Independence Party, after she made the comments on Radio 4’s Today Programme.
Evans said the High Court had “overridden the will of the British people” when it ruled that Prime Minister Theresa May can’t invoke Article 50 without a Parliamentary vote.
She said: ”I think there is a debate to be had about whether not judges should be subject to democratic control to inspire confidence in the judiciary…”
But Today Programme host John Humprhys responded: “Wait hang on, judges should be subjected to…
Evans interjected: “… whilst safeguarding their judicial independence which is of course very important.”
JK Rowling wrote on Twitter: “Yes, and why stop at judges? So sick of unelected doctors deciding what’s wrong with me. Let’s put it to a vote. #DownWithExperts.”
She was joined by football pundit Gary Lineker, who added: “Good heavens, and they say footballers are stupid!”
Anna Soubry, Conservative MP, added that Evans’ comments were like “the way of fascism”.
Labour’s shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer told the Today Programme: “Some of us have worked in countries where judges do as governments tell them and we know that is highly corrosive of the rule of law and democracy.”
