EXTRACT FROM A PERSONAL LETTER DATED 1 AUGUST FROM MR JUSTICE BRIGGS TO MR RUSHFORD
"The powers that be have made or are making some changes as you know in my world. They won't hurry up however. One that affects me very much is to raise the retirement age to 65 for judges of the Supreme Court. I think I know why this is being delayed. Its because Denys has been promised my seat. But they do not think that six years away from the law would be a good introduction to CJship. They forget however two things: (1) as a matter of principle no CS should become CJ. Not only has it not been done before but it will cause a howl. When it was suggested last time that this might happen the E. Economic Review was scathing (2) is more important. Since I came to HK Denys has never been in
a Court (save once in a Full Court Chambers matter a Hogan invention) (and to bid folks goodbye, praise dead men etc and to welcome Silks). It is not knowledge of the law that a judge wants (though that is useful) as experience in Court. Three more years of that can make no difference. There is also the man himself. But..... Archie Zimmern QC has had a kidney out recently. This may make him turn his eyes to the bench. But certainly not if the age is not raised. All this has been drummed into HE without avail. He is consumately political."
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