BREAKING: Judge to hand down verdict on #WhereIsTheInterpreter case on Wednesday

Mr Justice Fordham is set to announce his decision on whether the UK Government acted unlawfully by failing to provide an in-person sign language interpreter for its Downing Street briefings on Wednesday.

The handing down, which is due to start from 10am, comes after Deaf actress Katie Rowley took the Cabinet Office to court last month. The legal action, which concerns the Government’s duties under the Equality Act, is the latest development in the #WhereIsTheInterpreter campaign founded by activist Lynn Stewart-Taylor.

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In her opening arguments in the hearing in June, Catherine Casserley – who represents Rowley in the case – told Justice Fordham that an on-platform interpreter is about “inclusivity”, with it being the “closest you can get” to the standard offered by the Government to the public at large.

The Government contested the judicial review, with their barrister, Zoë Levanthal, writing in her skeleton argument: “The claimant has described her occupation as including that of an author; she engages in written exchanges online and refers to writing screenplays during the pandemic.

“This evidence is, on the face of it, inconsistent with the Claimant’s evidence that she cannot understand subtitles.”

The Limping Chicken understands that the judge is being asked for permission to provide a British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation of his decision.

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Update – 23.07.21 – 18:00: Lynn Stewart-Taylor has thanked supporters for their patience as they awaited news of the decision, in a Twitter video announcing the date of the decision.

She said: “I want you all to remember, whether we succeed or not, we have achieved. Have we failed? No.

“We have tried. Maybe we’ll fail, but we tried rather than do nothing. That’s important to remember.

“We got this far. We have raised awareness – in Parliament, with MPs involved.”

Lynn then went on to add that after the decision, it’s important that “we all get involved” in BSL Act Now, a campaign run by the British Deaf Association which calls for BSL to be granted legal status.

Last month it was revealed that Labour’s Rosie Cooper had presented a BSL Bill to Parliament following her success in the Private Members’ Bill ballot, with a second reading due to take place in January.