Barristers have begun a second week of strike action, with courts in the North East set to face delays. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) says its members are taking the action because legal aid fees are too low.
Action began across England and Wales last week, and a three-day walkout of criminal defence barristers from all courts will go ahead from Monday. The CBA said the action is aimed at redressing the shortfall in the supply of criminal barristers to help deal with the crisis in the country’s courts.
A walkout last Monday meant that some courtrooms sat empty, while others were able only to swear juries in before adjourning cases until later in the week, when lawyers were available. The CBA said three days of action are planned this week, rising to four days the following week and all five days in the week beginning July 18.
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Days of action will only be suspended for one week – the week beginning July 25 – before recommencing the week beginning August 1, for a full week. The alternating weeks will then continue, with no end date, remaining under review and subject to the response from Government, the CBA said.
Criminal barristers will receive a 15% fee rise from the end of September, meaning they will earn £7,000 more per year, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said on Thursday, in a bid to stop the action. But barristers on picket lines accused the Government of not listening to their concerns about the criminal justice system, and are angry that a proposed pay rise of 15% would not kick in immediately or apply to backlogged cases.
CBA chairman Jo Sidhu QC and vice chairwoman Kirsty Brimelow QC said: “Without immediate action to halt the exodus of criminal barristers from our ranks, the record backlog that has crippled our courts will continue to inflict misery upon victims and defendants alike, and the public will be betrayed. Our unity is our strength.”
Brimelow added that the Government’s planned fee increase for criminal barristers “doesn’t go near” resolving issues over pay and conditions, and said “the money is there” to address the crisis in the country’s courts.
But speaking to Sky News, she said: “The Government actually isn’t offering 15%. What it’s offering is 15% which will reach barristers in around a year or two years’ time, because the increase would relate to new cases only.”
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