Source: Guardian

Author: David Batty

British courts need not abide by the rulings of the European court of human rights, the most senior judge in England and Wales has said.

The lord chief justice Lord Judge said courts were not bound by the rulings of the Strasbourg-based court but should always take them into account.

Giving evidence to the Lords constitution committee, Judge said: “I would like to say that maybe Strasbourg shouldn’t win and doesn’t need to win.

“I myself think it’s at least arguable that, having taken account of the decision of the court in Strasbourg, our courts are not bound by them.

“We have to give them due weight, and in most cases obviously we would follow them, but not I think necessarily.”

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