Baroness Deech: “Divorce payouts teach women to find a footballer”

Posted By: James

Thursday 1st January 2015

Baroness Deech: “Divorce payouts teach women to find a footballer”

Baroness Deech, the outgoing chair of the Bar Standards Board, is calling for the divorce law to be tougher on women as she believes the current system teaches them to go out "and find a footballer". She warns that large divorce settlements are sending out a "bad message to young women". In an interview with a national paper, she comments: "Say the word divorce and people will tell you the most horrendous stories. People feel it's terribly unfair and most urgently in need of reform." Adding that the situation says to young women: "Never mind about A-Levels, or a degree or taking the Bar course - come out and find a footballer”. Baroness Deech is now steering a private member's bill through the Lords that will make prenuptial and postnuptial agreements binding. There would be a division upon divorce of all the property the couple acquired after marriage but not assets owned before. The Law Commission, which looked at whether the law needs to be changed, recommended taking account of couples' wishes including recognising prenuptial agreements. The plans were supported by divorce lawyers who wanted the agreements to become widespread rather than merely for the rich. But pro-marriage organisations fear it could lead to more divorces.

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