Just to clarify, I don't actually think he's thick or a shit barrister. I think he's a slimy politician who will flip flop for a sound bite depending on which direction the wind is blowing at the time.
His barrister training would (should) have meant he understood that his duty to the court, and the law, came before everything. That's drilled into them as the first Core Duty. My point was more that he abandoned those principles in the name of politics.
The law hasn't changed, and I have no doubt that he understood it perfectly well before the ruling. So it is 'either' he's a shit barrister who is a bit thick, or an inconsistent (typical) politician. The two professions don't work well together in situations like this. If you hire a barrister you kind of expect him to understand the law and apply it consistently, that trust is why we pay them so much. Throw in the entirely different dynamics of politics and the weak-willed will crumble - as he did - so the words that come out of his mouth (women can have penises) are a lie, in the name of PR and votes. The law be damned eh.