How a non-lawyer politician became the first Lord Chancellor in over 440 years
In short: Chris Grayling served as Lord Chancellor from 2012 to 2015, marking a historic departure from tradition as the first non-lawyer to hold the office in over four centuries. His tenure was defined by a tough-justice agenda, controversial prison reforms, and a significant restructuring of the probation system in England and Wales.
Appointed in September 2012, Grayling’s selection as Lord Chancellor was notable for his lack of legal qualifications, leading to his election as an honorary bencher of Gray’s Inn that December. His approach at the Ministry of Justice focused on a tough-justice platform, which included ending simple cautions for serious offences and increasing protections for householders against intruders. However, his performance faced sharp criticism from legal experts like Lord Pannick, who argued that Grayling’s policies focused excessively on restricting judicial reviews and reducing legal aid.
One of his most contentious initiatives was the dismantling of the National Probation Service. Grayling sought to privatize 70% of probation work through a payment-by-results model, aiming to reduce reoffending. The policy was widely opposed by unions and legal professionals. By March 2019, a National Audit Office report concluded the ministry had rushed the implementation, resulting in significantly increased reoffending rates and costs exceeding predictions by £467 million. While a 2020 Ministry of Justice report later claimed the reforms had actually decreased reoffending, the government ultimately reversed the policy in 2019, returning supervision to state control.
Grayling’s tenure also saw significant friction within the prison system. He introduced a benchmarking programme in 2012 to align public sector prison costs with private providers, which coincided with a reduction in prison officer numbers from approximately 23,000 to 18,000 by 2015. Following a year-long inquiry, the Justice Select Committee linked these staffing shortages and efficiency savings to a 38% rise in prison deaths. Additionally, his 2015 ban on books being sent into prisons—intended to curb contraband—was ruled illegal by the High Court, drawing intense criticism from the literary community.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Chris Grayling
- Also: members.parliament.uk — Contact information for Lord Grayling - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament
- Also: www.gov.uk — The Rt Hon Chris Grayling
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