Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis has met bar representatives in an effort to resolve the barristers’ strike (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)New Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis urged striking barristers to return to work during his talks with the Criminal Bar Association and the Bar Council.
It is the first time they have met ministers since the start of their industrial action.
Barristers in England and Wales are taking part in a continuous walkout since their row with the Government over pay intensified.
Lewis, who was appointed two weeks ago, said the discussions had been constructive and would continue.
But who is the new Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis and what does his role involve?
Who is Brandon Lewis?
Lewis became the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on September 6, 2022.
He was previously Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 13 February 2020 to 7 July 2022.
He was elected Conservative MP for Great Yarmouth in 2010 and was made a CBE for political and public service in September 2019.
Outside politics, Lewis is a qualified barrister and a company director.
After completing his degree in economics and law at University of Buckingham, he went on to study commercial law at King’s College London.
Before joining the government, Lewis served on Brentwood Borough Council for more than 10 years, and was leader for five of them.
He was an active member of a number of all-party parliamentary groups, including those for enterprise zones and local growth as well as local government.
The 51-year-old’s work sometimes focuses on coastal erosion, and he continues his work with colleagues who represent other coastal towns to highlight common issues in their constituencies. He is married and has two children.
What are his responsibilities as Justice Secretary?
Lewis’s responsibilities including overseeing all justice ministers’ portfolios and Ministry of Justice strategy, as well as the department’s Covid-19 response supported by ministers according to their portfolios.
He is also accountable for international business and future relations with the EU, Ministry of Justice support for the UK nations, judicial policy including on pay, pensions and diversity as well as corporate services.
