The Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, announced that a conditional pardon will be granted to Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the United Kingdom. Ruth Ellis was executed in 1955 for the murder of her lover, David Blakely. Despite the pardon not asserting her innocence, it commutes her penalty to life imprisonment, acknowledging a significant injustice in her case.
During the PMQs, Mr. Lammy, also serving as the Justice Secretary, confirmed that King accepted the advice to grant the pardon. This decision aims to bring a sense of peace to Ruth Ellis’s family, who have carried the burden of her story for over seven decades. Her grandchildren, present in the Commons’ public gallery, expressed their gratitude for the acknowledgment.
One of Ruth Ellis’s grandchildren, Laura Enston, emphasized the importance of correcting this historical injustice and honoring all victims of domestic abuse failed by the justice system. Despite not changing the past, the pardon symbolizes the recognition that Ruth should not have faced execution, highlighting the system’s failure in her case.
Ellis fatally shot Blakely in 1955 and was swiftly convicted and executed without any reprieve or appeal. The application for the pardon, initiated by four of her grandchildren, argued that her trial overlooked the impact of domestic abuse and trauma on her actions. The Ministry of Justice noted that under current laws, Ellis might have been able to present defenses like loss of control or diminished responsibility, potentially altering her conviction to manslaughter.
The move to grant a conditional pardon to Ruth Ellis reflects a step towards acknowledging past injustices and providing closure to her descendants.
