Dame Sue Carr appointed first female lord chief justice in England and Wales

Carr will be the first woman to lead the judiciary in the history of the role dating back to the 13th century

The most senior judge in England and Wales will be a woman for the first time in history – although uncertainty remains as to whether she will be known as lord chief justice.

Dame Sue Carr, an appeal court judge and former vice chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission, will take up the position on 1 October, becoming the first woman in the role which dates back to the 13th century. Only two people – both women – applied for the job.