Government
proposals to ‘dress down’ courtroom attire could put many jobs on the line.
A
government consultation paper – which included a list of alternatives to the
wig and gown, such as pinstripe suits – may have been triggered by recent
comments made by Lord Irvine of Lairg regarding the discomfort of wearing his
ceremonial wig, writes the Independent.
A
hundred craftsmen and women are estimated to work in the UK’s legal wig-making
industry. If the proposals lead to the abolition of the wig, a number of them
could lose their jobs.
Keith
Sargant, proprietor of Thresher and Glenny in Chancery Lane – one of three
leading legal outfitters, said: “The average person who wants their day in
court expects a bit of formality.
“Barristers
and judges looked so much more elegant in wigs and gowns. Why does Lord Irvine
want to interfere with a tradition that has been working quite satisfactorily
for hundreds of years?”
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