Court hearings cancelled as barristers go on strike
THOUSANDS of barristers went on strike over pay and Britain’s creaking justice system yesterday.
The lawyers joined picket lines outside courts and condemned the Government for failing to take action to improve wages and prevent a crisis in the courts.
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab described the decision by the Criminal Bar Association to go on strike as “regrettable”.
Barristers who specialise in crown court cases have long complained about poor income from the legal aid system.
Speaking outside Bristol Crown Court, experienced criminal lawyer Kannan Siva said that more than one in four barristers have been “driven out of the jobs they loved because they simply can’t afford to stay”.
He added: “For junior criminal barristers to be paid below minimum wage, a median income of just £12,200 a year, is not only scandalous but it will choke off the supply of the next generation of advocates…our future judges.”
Campaign
Fewer advocates and fewer judges to hear cases will mean even greater delays and backlogs, they say.
The current backlog is just under 60,000 cases.
Hearings in courts across England and Wales were adjourned as the barristers staged the first 24-hour stoppage of a planned campaign of industrial action.
Two days’ strike action is expected this week – with an additional day to be added each week for the next three weeks.
The CBA expects 1,000 cases to be affected per day of action.
Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett has warned the strikers they risk disciplinary action for misconduct if they fail to attend court.
Ministers say the Government’s proposed 15 per cent pay rise would add £7,000 extra per year to a typical barrister’s income.
Mr Raab urged the CBA to accept the proposed increase, and added: “Their actions will only delay justice for victims.”
However, the lawyers are angry that the increase will not kick in immediately and will not apply to the tens of thousands of court cases currently backlogged.
Since March 2020, the number of crown court cases delayed by more than a year has rocketed by over 340 per cent, the Public Accounts Committee was told.
Kirsty Brimelow, vice chairwoman of the CBA, which represents barristers in England and Wales, spoke outside Manchester Crown Court.
She said: “We have made our case over and over again to government but our warnings continue to fall on deaf ears.
“They have no solution to saving the criminal justice system. This is a national crisis.”
Barrister Lucie Wibberley joined 50 colleagues picketing the Old Bailey. She said: “Action will take place in the hope the Government comes to the negotiating table.”
It is believed that no fresh talks with the Government are currently planned.