Treason? The trial of the Magna Carta Barons, Westminster Hall, 31 July 2015

For those lucky enough to have a ticket, an unusual event took place at Westminster Hall on 31 July 2015 – a mock trial of the Magna Carta Barons, organised by the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Commemoration Committee and the UK Supreme Court. It was narrated by Gavin Esler, supported by the Usher, Derek Allen. The judges were the Lord Neuberger, Dame Sian Elias and Stephen Breyer. The Prosecution Counsel was James Eadie QC, and the Defence Council was Nathalie Lieven QC. King john was played by Clive Anderson, William Marshal by the Lord Judge, Stephen Langton by the Lord Lisvane, and Robert FitzWalter by Professor David Carpenter. The other witnesses were Lord Clarke, the Rt Rev Christopher Lowson, Lord McNally, Baroness Prashar and Baroness Stedman-Scott. The outcome of course is history, but it is nevertheless instructive to watch our justices debate the rights and wrongs of past rebels…