England: barristers join solicitors in protest over cut in legal aid fees

The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) announced this morning it had voted to join the protest.

Fifty-five per cent of the CBA, which has 4,000 members across England and Wales, voted in favour of limited days of action, while 45 per cent voted against. The turnout was approximately 45 per cent.

Criminal barristers will follow a policy of “no returns”, meaning they will refuse to cover for colleagues at courts.

Solicitors representing defendants in criminal cases are protesting against 17.5 per cent reductions in legal aid fees as well as the restructuring of the profession.

They say their action is already having an effect across England and Wales although the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it is not causing significant disruption.

Emergency cover is being provided by the MoJ’s legal service, the Public Defender Service (PDS), which has been deployed in cases where lawyers have refused to appear.

South Yorkshire police have confirmed cases are piling up in custody suites as well as interview rooms.

The MoJ previously said: “The courts have been sitting as usual and the vast majority of cases requiring a solicitor at the police station have been picked up within an hour.”