Barristers vote on one-day walkout

CRIMINAL barristers have been asked to vote on whether to strike over a pay row.

The proposed industrial action, which would see lawyers in England and Wales walk out on July 1, has been put to a ballot by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) and could cause widespread chaos at magistrates and Crown courts.

The CBA suggests that cuts of 30 per cent to the Crown Prosecution Service budget since 2010 have put prosecution lawyers ‘under almost impossible strain’, adding that ‘flat, inflexible, brief fees utterly fail to reflect the demands of the complex, evidencecases’.

A CPS spokesman said it was aware of the concerns but was ‘disappointed’ by the proposed strike. The ballot closes on June 4.