Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy announced a conditional pardon for Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain for murder. The announcement was made during a session in the House of Commons where Lammy was taking questions. Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition, was absent, attending the NATO summit in Turkey.
The case of Ruth Ellis, who was convicted of murder in 1955, has been a subject of review. Lammy stated that the King had granted a conditional pardon, acknowledging that Ellis was a victim of domestic violence and that the verdict might have been different under contemporary legal standards. The change reclassifies her crime from murder to manslaughter, a development that family members of Ruth Ellis were present to hear. However, the pardon comes 71 years after her execution.
The parliamentary session was described as lethargic, with a sparsely populated chamber and a general sense of weariness, attributed in part to the heatwave and the government's perceived final stages. The atmosphere in Westminster was characterized by a lack of energy and a sense of people eager to leave for the summer recess.
During the session, other political matters were briefly touched upon, including difficulties faced by Nigel Farage. Separately, Matt Brittin, the new director general of the BBC, underwent his first parliamentary scrutiny by the culture committee, chaired by Dame Caroline Dinenage. The proceedings were observed against the backdrop of a sweltering July in London.