It all started out well enough. The Equality and Human Rights Commission, a U.K. government office charged with the promotion and enforcement of equality and non-discrimination laws, sent out a tweet about a student who was told her natural hair worn in an afro style violated the school’s uniform policy. The EHRC got involved in the matter and the school did away with its policy. The tweet contained the message, “The Equality Act 2010 is clear; no one should face discrimination because of their race,” and contained a short video about the case.
Sweet, isn’t it? But then Jon Holbrook, of Cornerstone Barristers, just *had* to respond. His tweet, in the most British way possible, employs racist tropes about students who want to wear their hair naturally.
Holbrook told Legal Cheek, that despite the uproar over his insensitive tweet, he will not delete it:
“Liberal democracies are premised on free speech and we curtail it at our peril. Through my articles and tweets I have for many years criticised laws that enable individual rights to trump collective interests. Many provisions of the Equality Act do this, which is why I criticise them in my political capacity.”
Holbrook continued:
“Some legal activists of the left would prefer to silence their opponents. They are unable to engage in reasoned argument and they seek a legal profession of practitioners who conform to their own woke opinions.
“My political views are never expressed as a member of Cornerstone Barristers, because they have nothing to do with my work as a member. My day job is concerned with how the law is, my political interest is concerned with how it should be. Many of my critics seem unable to grasp this distinction. Others are simply motivated by a loathing for conservative and populist opinions. Free speech must prevail over cancel culture.”
Sure, you *can* say whatever awful opinions you have, but that doesn’t mean you *should* do it. And it certainly doesn’t mean others won’t [should] judge you for holding such a willfully ignorant and harmful viewpoint. He’s saying a youth is bad-tempered and argumentative simple for wanting to wear her hair naturally. That has all sorts of negative racial stereotypes built in.
And naturally, as a result, colleagues — including his own chambers — are trying to distances themselves from Holbrook.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Cornerstone Barristers said it became aware of the tweet late on Friday. “We want to make it very clear that Cornerstone Barristers repudiates the contents of the tweet and all that it insinuates,” the statement read.
Now, joint heads of chambers, Philip Coppel QC and Tom Cosgrove QC, said they “reiterate that repudiation”.
In a joint statement, Coppel and Cosgrove told Legal Cheek, “Mr Holbrook was asked both on Friday, 22 January and again on Saturday, 23 January to delete the tweet immediately and permanently. Mr Holbrook is refusing to do so. The Board of Cornerstone Barristers is dealing with the matter.”
Their statement continued:
“To be clear: this matter is being taken very seriously. The contents of this tweet are contrary to the views of Cornerstone Barristers. We unequivocally condemn discrimination in all of its forms and are proud of our record as a diverse chambers which promotes social mobility at the bar.”
And that’s not the end of the — completely deserved — pile on:
Leslie Thomas QC of Garden Court Chambers wrote of his former colleague, “Jon, I can’t believe you sent this tweet, what happened to you? I was once proud to have you as a colleague at Garden Court fighting for the rights of others versus rogue landlords in our younger days. This tweet is just wrong. [It] makes you unrecognisable to me now which [is] why I call it out.”
David Turner QC of 4 New Square described it as “the most shameful tweet” he had ever seen from a barrister, while Alexandra Wilson of 5 St Andrew’s hill said, “I’m embarrassed to be in the same profession as someone like this”.
Wilson, a vocal advocate for diversity at the bar, continued: “The truth is, he should be embarrassed. This tweet has remained up for days and still hasn’t been deleted. Stroppy? For wanting to go to school with her natural hair? It’s really frustrating that so many of us are trying to improve public perception of our profession and people like this completely undermine that.”
Meanwhile, Becky Agates of Foregate Chambers wrote: “I’ve sat here staring at the screen… unable to write… you’re a member of my profession… a profession I love and respect… yet you feel safe and comfortable tweeting something like this… what is wrong with you (apart from the obvious)… do the right thing, take it down.”
At least Holbrook is no longer hiding his problematic worldview, and those who choose to work with him now know exactly what they’re walking into.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, and host of The Jabot podcast. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).