UK Barristers’ Strike Ends as Criminal Lawyers Accept New Government Offer

Lawyers from the Criminal Bar Association, which represents barristers in England and Wales, set up a picket line outside the Old Bailey in central London, on June 27, 2022. (PA)

The barristers’ strike, which crippled courts in England and Wales, is over after the members of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) accepted the government’s new pay offer.

The CBA announced on Twitter: “The Criminal Bar has voted to accept the proposal made by the government. With 57% voting to accept the offer made by Government, action is suspended from 18.00hrs this evening.”

The CBA began taking industrial action in June in protest at the government’s refusal to offer any increase in legal aid pay for existing cases.

From Sept. 5 they began an all-out strike, which led to the postponement of hundreds of trials and other hearings around the country.

But when Liz Truss replaced Boris Johnson as prime minister she replaced Justice Secretary Dominic Raab with Brandon Lewis and he began talks with CBA Chair, Kirsty Brimelow KC.

On Sept. 29 the Ministry of Justice made a new offer which, it said, includes an extra £54 million ($60 million) for the criminal bar and solicitors.

Of the 2,605 criminal barristers who voted, 1,488 (56.74 percent) accepted the offer and 1,117 (43.26 percent) rejected it.

‘The Criminal Justice System Remains Chronically Underfunded’

The CBA added on Twitter: “The criminal justice system remains chronically underfunded. As a democratic organisation, we take our mandate from you. Your engagement has been overwhelming and we know that you remain committed to achieve a strong, sustainable, independent criminal bar for the future.”

Barristers will be back in court on Tuesday and will be accepting instructions from new clients.

Lewis said: “My priority in these first few weeks as Lord Chancellor has been to end CBA strike action and reduce delays for victims, and I’m glad that barristers have now agreed to return to work.

“This breakthrough is a result of coming together and restarting what I hope to be a constructive relationship as we work to drive down the backlog and ensure victims see justice done sooner,” he added.

But barrister Chris Daw, KC, wrote on Twitter: “We must unite once again to push for a better deal for the most junior criminal barristers. Many will still be in an unsustainable financial position, despite the increase in fees.”

The government had originally agreed the 15 percent fee rise at the end of September only to new cases but they have now relented and the Ministry of Justice said the increase would now apply to the “vast majority of cases currently in the crown court.”

PA Media contributed to this report.