Ellie Reeves Attorney General speech explained

Swearing-in speeches can sound ceremonial, but Ellie Reeves used hers to set out a clear public message. Speaking at the Royal Courts of Justice on 1 October 2026, the new Attorney General said she wants to protect judicial independence, rebuild confidence in the justice system and make sure the law serves ordinary people, not only institutions. The ceremony followed her appointment as Attorney General on 20 July 2026, after serving as Solicitor General from September 2025 to July 2026. (gov.uk) She also paid tribute to her predecessor Richard Hermer, welcomed Andy Slaughter as Solicitor General and spoke warmly about Lord Chancellor Alex Norris. But the bigger thread running through the speech was continuity: the courts must stay independent, victims must be better served and government must still act within the law while trying to move quickly. (gov.uk)

If you have ever wondered what the Attorney General actually does, Reeves's speech is a useful place to start. GOV.UK says the Attorney General is the chief legal adviser to the Crown, oversees the Law Officers' departments and has independent public-interest functions. Those duties include responsibility for the Attorney General's Office and oversight of bodies such as the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office, as well as powers connected to contempt of court and unduly lenient sentences. (gov.uk) **What this means:** this is not the same as being a judge, and it is not the same as running prisons or the police. The Attorney General sits close to government but is also expected to defend the rule of law, which is why the job can affect everything from constitutional disputes to whether victims feel the system is on their side. (gov.uk)

One of the strongest parts of the speech was Reeves's promise to protect the independence of the judiciary. She praised judges for upholding the rule of law with independence and integrity and said she wants to work with the Lady Chief Justice and judges across the courts to strengthen public confidence in the justice system. (gov.uk) **What this means:** judges are meant to decide cases on law and evidence, not on pressure from ministers, party politics or furious headlines. Reeves did not spell it out in exactly those words, but that is the practical point of judicial independence, and it matters to anyone who might one day need a fair hearing. It matters even more when governments are under pressure to show they can get things done quickly. (gov.uk)

Reeves also used the occasion to tell a story about class, confidence and access to the profession. She said she grew up in South East London, did not know any lawyers and once doubted whether law was really for 'girls like me from schools like mine'. She went on to study law at Oxford, was called to the Bar in 2004 and later worked as an employment rights lawyer for trade unions before setting up her own consultancy to support women facing maternity and sex discrimination at work. (gov.uk) That part of the speech tells you a lot about how she sees law. She framed it less as abstract theory and more as something tied to pay packets, livelihoods, safety and dignity at work. For Common Room readers, that is the useful takeaway: law is not floating above daily life. It turns up where people earn, report harm, challenge unfairness and ask the state to treat them properly. (gov.uk)

On policy, Reeves pointed to work on violence against women and girls as her main priority while she was Solicitor General. In the speech, she said she helped design and publish the government's VAWG strategy, secured £5 million for the CPS to better support domestic abuse victims in the Crown Court and backed the early Victims' Right to Review scheme. She also said that, as Attorney General, she had just announced the national rollout of the Victim Transformation Programme, including dedicated victim liaison officers for victims of domestic abuse. (gov.uk) This is one of the clearest parts of the speech because it links a senior legal office to something people can picture. A dedicated liaison officer can mean better updates, clearer communication and less chance of victims feeling lost in a process that often seems built around institutions rather than people. Reeves also admitted that progress is not the same as success, saying public confidence in the criminal justice system is low and that more still has to be done for victims. (gov.uk)

Another important section was about how government lawyers advise ministers. Reeves said she changed the Legal Risk Guidance a few weeks earlier because she wants government lawyers to offer creative, practical options and support ministers to take legally sound decisions that can survive scrutiny. An official Attorney General's Office release on 8 September said the updated guidance is meant to help lawyers give ministers practical, solutions-focused advice on how to reach policy aims within the law. It also says a policy is unlawful only where no tenable legal argument exists to support it. (gov.uk) **What this means:** Reeves is arguing that legal advice should not stop at warning ministers about risk. It should also help them find lawful ways forward. Supporters will say that makes government less timid. Critics may ask whether a strong focus on delivery can blur the line between lawful boldness and political pressure. Either way, this is a reminder that the Attorney General matters far beyond courtroom ceremony. (gov.uk)

Reeves ended by saying the legal profession should be open to everyone, whatever their background, and told aspiring lawyers not to let barriers block them but to break those barriers down. That was not a decorative ending. It tied back to her own route into law and to a wider question about who gets to speak with authority inside the justice system. (gov.uk) If you are reading this as a student, trainee or simply someone who has never felt that the legal world was built with you in mind, that message is the part to keep. The speech was about office and oath, but its most useful idea was simpler: justice works better when the people writing, arguing and interpreting the law look more like the public they serve. (gov.uk)