CEO Ashley Hodges gives evidence on citizenship education to House of Lords rule of law inquiry

On Wednesday 12th June 2025 our Chief Executive, Ashley Hodges, was invited to Parliament give evidence at the Constitution Committee’s Inquiry on the Rule of Law.

The inquiry sought to understand the state of the rule of law in the UK, exploring how the principle works in practice across Parliament, the judiciary and the executive. In particular, the committee wanted to consider the role of education, the media and civic society in creating and maintaining a culture that values the rule of law.

The inquiry comes after the Attorney General, Lord Hermer, recently stated that the rule of law was under attack whilst calling for more robust citizenship education.

Speaking alongside Daniel Scrase of BPP’s Social Impact Team, Hodges said: “Young Citizens has a long-standing commitment to equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate in democratic society. Our lessons and resources ensure that principles underpinning the rule of law are not only understood in theory, but also in practice.”

“Young people are not getting the basics of the justice system, the constitution and how it works. Those who do receive legal education don’t think it is relevant to their real life. There is a lack of awareness of how robust and purposeful our legal system is, and that is undermining the rule of law.”

“But I don’t want to focus on negatives of public legal education. I hope this committee can consider some of the powerful ways it can help us strengthen the rule of law, especially starting young.”

“When public legal education is done well, it is effective. Nearly three-in-four of our programme participants said they had a better understanding of the law and how it applies to their lives, and almost two-thirds said their trust in the legal system improved after taking part in our programmes. This is why legal education can’t be the preserve of those lucky enough to go to a school that covers it.”

Hodges shared three key education policy recommendations to bolster a culture of the rule of law:

• Make citizenship education statutory at primary level and strengthen it across all phases.
• Harness the curriculum and assessment review, providing clearer guidance and accountability for schools on citizenship education.
• Invest in teacher training and resources to build legal literacy provision in schools.

You can read the transcript and watch a recording of the evidence session here.

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