Jonathan Hall KC appointed Reviewer of State Threat Legislation

Jonathan Hall KC has been appointed as the new Independent Reviewer of State Threat Legislation.

The new role has been brought in as part of the new National Security Act 2023.

The independent reviewer will be assessing the fairness, effectiveness and proportionality of UK state threats legislation, and report their findings and recommendations.

Hall has been independent reviewer of terrorism legislation since May 2019 and has been a King’s Counsel since 2013, with responsibility for various cases, including lead counsel in the undercover policing inquiry for three years, and has been involved in complex and high profile cases involving fraud, law enforcement, and national security.

Home secretary James Cleverly said: "I am pleased to announce that Jonathan Hall KC has been appointed as Independent Reviewer of State Threats Legislation.

"It is the government’s utmost priority to protect the UK’s national security, the safety of the British public and the UK’s vital interests from the hostile activities of foreign states.  

"State threats legislation must therefore be as robust as possible to deal with individuals who seek to do us harm. I am confident that Mr Hall’s wealth of experience and legal expertise will help deliver this."

Jonathan Hall KC said: "I am very pleased to be appointed as the first State Threats Reviewer. The National Security Act 2023 is a major and innovative response to state threats.

"I look forward to bringing my experience of reviewing terrorism legislation to bear on this new set of offences and powers."