*/
Criminal Bar leaders have called on politicians to invest in the justice system.
Francis FitzGibbon QC and Angela Rafferty QC, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Criminal Bar Association, said that after Brexit, the legal system as a whole will be among the UK’s most prestigious and important assets.
The rule of law, they said, depends on a properly funded court system, with careers as lawyers and judges open to talent – without restriction by class, ethnicity or wealth.
But, they said: ‘Governments for at least 25 years have allowed criminal justice to degrade, from the police service, through the publicly funded part of the legal profession, the courts, to the prisons and the probation service.
‘Violent crime is rising and the system is dealing with a tsunami of highly sensitive sex cases, which are set to occupy it for years to come – it is imperative that enough investment is put in, across the sector, to ensure that the rights of victims and defendants are upheld.’
If £3bn can be found to repair the Houses of Parliament, the pair said, money must be available to invest in justice: ‘It is not an optional extra, but an essential element in a fair and tolerant society.’
They called on the next government to reverse the legal aid cuts, support the independent criminal Bar, repair the collapsing fabric of court buildings and retain the Human Rights Act as a powerful protector of victims.
Criminal Bar leaders have called on politicians to invest in the justice system.
Francis FitzGibbon QC and Angela Rafferty QC, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Criminal Bar Association, said that after Brexit, the legal system as a whole will be among the UK’s most prestigious and important assets.
The rule of law, they said, depends on a properly funded court system, with careers as lawyers and judges open to talent – without restriction by class, ethnicity or wealth.
But, they said: ‘Governments for at least 25 years have allowed criminal justice to degrade, from the police service, through the publicly funded part of the legal profession, the courts, to the prisons and the probation service.
‘Violent crime is rising and the system is dealing with a tsunami of highly sensitive sex cases, which are set to occupy it for years to come – it is imperative that enough investment is put in, across the sector, to ensure that the rights of victims and defendants are upheld.’
If £3bn can be found to repair the Houses of Parliament, the pair said, money must be available to invest in justice: ‘It is not an optional extra, but an essential element in a fair and tolerant society.’
They called on the next government to reverse the legal aid cuts, support the independent criminal Bar, repair the collapsing fabric of court buildings and retain the Human Rights Act as a powerful protector of victims.
Chair of the Bar sets out a busy calendar for the rest of the year
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Examined by Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
AlphaBiolabs has announced its latest Giving Back donation to RAY Ceredigion, a grassroots West Wales charity that provides play, learning and community opportunities for families across Ceredigion County
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, outlines why barristers, solicitors, judges, social workers and local authorities across the UK trust AlphaBiolabs for court-admissible testing
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs is helping to support women and children affected by domestic abuse, thanks to the company’s unique charity initiative that empowers legal professionals to give back to community causes
Through small but meaningful efforts, we can restore the sense of collegiality that has been so sorely eroded, says Baldip Singh
Come in with your eyes open, but don’t let fear cloud the prospect. A view from practice by John Dove
Looking to develop a specialist practice? Mariya Peykova discusses the benefits of secondments and her placement at the Information Commissioner’s Office
Anon Academic explains why he’s leaving the world of English literature for the Bar – after all, the two are not as far apart as they may first seem...
Review by Stephen Cragg KC