LONDON — The top judge in England and Wales warned British lawmakers yesterday to think carefully before using their parliamentary privilege to circumvent court orders that block media from reporting on often-salacious celebrity lawsuits.
The comments by Lord Chief Justice Igor Judge came a day after a House of Lords member used that immunity to disclose details of an injunction secured by Sir Fred Goodwin, former head of the Royal Bank of Scotland, to block media from reporting on an alleged affair with a female colleague.
The bank was rescued by a massive government bailout during the credit crisis and is now 83 percent owned by British taxpayers.
A debate about privacy is raging in Britain, particularly because the court orders have been seen as a shield for the wealthy.
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