The Purpose of the Bingham Centre
The Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law is named after Tom Bingham, the preeminent judge of his generation and a passionate advocate of the rule of law. The Rt Hon Lord Bingham of Cornhill KG was the first judge to hold all three of the most senior posts in the British judiciary - Lord Chief Justice, Master of the Rolls and Senior Law Lord. He was a man of outstanding human and professional qualities, who was President and Chair of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, in which the Bingham Centre is placed. The essence of the rule of law is in Bingham's words:
"[that] all persons and authorities within the state, whether public or private, should be bound by and entitled to the benefit of laws publicly and prospectively promulgated and publicly administered by the courts." The Rule of Law (2010)
Sadly Tom Bingham died in September 2010 just prior to the launch of the Bingham Centre, which will enhance his mission by providing the intellectual framework to create the legal and policy tools necessary for the rule of law to thrive. It aims to be the foremost institution of its kind specifically devoted to this vitally important issue through studies, debate, training, advice and education in the UK and worldwide.
The maintenance, development and promotion of the rule of law is of fundamental importance for the human dignity and well-being of people everywhere. It provides the foundations for good governance, accountability, certainty and legality which are core conditions for an effective economy and a fair society. Its relevance extends across a wide range in the affairs of people and states and should be a defining value in all societies.
It is, therefore, essential to have a Centre devoted to identifying rule of law issues in national, regional and international systems and seeking to analyse, establish and promote the rule of law's fundamental qualities.
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