Justice Secretary David Lammy has granted a conditional pardon to Ruth Ellis, who was hanged in 1955 for shooting her abusive lover David Blakely. The decision has sparked controversy, with critics accusing Lammy of engaging in virtue signalling and imposing modern moral standards on the past.
Background of the Case
Ellis was convicted by a jury after just 20 minutes of deliberation and became the last woman to be executed in Britain. She was undoubtedly a victim of domestic violence, but the pardon raises questions about how far back into history politicians should go to correct perceived injustices.
Leo McKinstry, writing in a commentary, argued that there is a profound arrogance in assuming modern values are superior to those of our forebears. He quoted George Orwell's 1984, where a party bureaucrat says, 'Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.'
Criticism of the Pardon
McKinstry questioned whether legal historians should now be deployed to search archives for cases that offend modern sensibilities. He noted that Britain in 1955 was a far more peaceable and well-ordered society than today, with a much lower murder rate.
The commentary also criticized the trend of using history as a vehicle for social justice doctrines, suggesting that such self-righteous crusades could lead to endless rewriting of the past.
Comparison with Modern Achievements
In contrast to the past, McKinstry highlighted Britain's current sporting successes. He mentioned Sir Brendan Foster's bronze medal in the 10,000 metres at the 1976 Montreal Olympics as Britain's only athletics medal, whereas recent years have seen a glut of Olympic gold. He also pointed to Arthur Fery's Wimbledon run and Aaron Rai's US PGA victory as examples of contemporary excellence.
The England football team is preparing for yet another quarter-final at the highest level, while in the 1970s England did not even qualify for the World Cup Finals. McKinstry concluded that there is no need for nostalgia when the present is so enriching.
Other Topics in the Article
The article also touched on the ongoing pay disputes involving consultants, who have voted for strikes in support of a pay claim worth 33% or £50,000. McKinstry sarcastically noted that taxpayers would be happy to meet this reasonable demand, given consultants' average basic pay of £152,000 a year.
Additionally, the article paid tribute to Lord Mackay of Clashfern, Margaret Thatcher's Lord Chancellor, who died at age 99. Mackay was an enlightened legal reformer and a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, but he broke away after being disciplined for attending Catholic funerals.
