Legal and political VIPs to give lectures in Cambridge

With Britain’s relationship with Europe and the nation’s constitutional make-up under scrutiny, a series of lectures this month promises to shed light on the controversial issues.

The University of Cambridge will host three leading figures from the legal and political world as they cast their eyes on Britain’s constitutional past and the future of its involvement in Europe.

They include a current European Commission Vice-President, a former Lord Chief Justice and the current President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

Open to both members of the university and public alike the lectures seek to encourage prominent figures to examine issues which affect us all.

The first lecture will be delivered by Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Judge, who will present his thoughts on the Magna Carta in this year’s Sir Robert Rede’s Lecture on Monday night (10 February).

On Wednesday (12 February) Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court of the UK, will present a talk entitled “The British and Europe” and on 17 February the European Commission’s Vice-President, Viviane Reding, will present a lecture entitled “Great Britain and the EU: Inevitably Drifting Apart?”.

University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz said: “Welcoming such high-profile individuals to the University is always a pleasure. I am delighted that Lord Neuberger and Vice-President Viviane Reding will be examining the interactions between Europe and the UK, a relationship I am particularly interested in.

“The University of Cambridge has always had a strong bond with Europe and these talks underline our commitment to continuing that bond and to building further links.”

With its links back to the 16th century and its list of speakers which include poet Sir John Betjeman and astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle, the University's annual Sir Robert Rede’s Lecture (or Rede Lecture for short) has a long pedigree.

It derives from a benefaction by the executors of Sir Robert Rede, who died in 1519 and was Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. Since 1858 the duty of the lecturer, appointed annually by the Vice-Chancellor, has been to deliver a single lecture.

The latest lecture “Magna Carta, Some Reflection”, will be given by Lord Judge, who is an alumnus and Honorary Fellow of Magdalene College and was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Law (LLD) in 2012.

It will take place in the Senate-House, King’s Parade, at 5.30pm on Monday, 10 February and is open to all.

The University’s Faculty of Law has attracted two equally impressive individuals to give lectures.

Lord Neuberger will contrast British attitudes to its membership of the European Union and the Council of Europe with those of other member nations in the Freshfields Annual Law Lecture 2014, organised by the Cambridge Private Law Centre at the Faculty of Law on 12 February.

Less than a week later European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding, responsible for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, will deliver the Centre for European Legal Studies (CELS) Mackenzie-Stuart lecture for 2014.

Professor Eilis Ferran, Chair of the Faculty Board, at the Faculty of Law, said: "Cambridge University is a focal point for research and debate on legal issues of fundamental constitutional and economic significance.

“As these lectures demonstrate, the University, and in particular the Faculty of Law and its specialist Centres, are able to bring to Cambridge speakers who will make powerful contributions to these debates and promote a deeper appreciation of the historic importance of the issues at stake.”