UK Appoints New Attorney General, Solicitor General
The United Kingdom has sworn in Ellie Reeves KC MP as Attorney General and Andy Slaughter MP as Solicitor General at a ceremony held at the Royal Courts of Justice. The two senior Law Officers took their oaths on October 1, 2026, following their appointments to the roles in July. The Rt Hon Alex Norris MP was also formally sworn in as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. The ceremony was conducted in the presence of the Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill. Reeves, who was appointed Attorney General on July 20, said it was an honour to take up the position and pledged to promote greater openness in the legal profession. She also identified tackling violence against women and girls as her top priority, building on her previous work as Solicitor General. Reeves said she looked forward to working with Slaughter to uphold the rule of law and strengthen public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC MP, pictured on the right, alongside Lady Chief Justice, The Right Honourable the Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, on the left, during an official engagement.
Slaughter, who was appointed Solicitor General on July 21, described the position as an important constitutional role connecting law and government. He said his previous experience as Chair of the Justice Select Committee had given him first-hand knowledge of the pressures facing the justice system and that he looked forward to addressing those challenges alongside Reeves. The Attorney General serves as the UK Government’s chief legal adviser and attends Cabinet, while the Attorney General and Solicitor General oversee the Law Officers’ Departments, including the Crown Prosecution Service, Serious Fraud Office, Government Legal Department and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate. The Law Officers also perform public interest functions, including referring sentences to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, taking action in cases of contempt of court and providing consent for the prosecution of certain offences.
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