London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Barristers voting on all-out strike call

Barristers voting on all-out strike call

Barristers are voting on proposals for an all-out strike next month as part of an ongoing row with the government over pay and legal-aid cuts.

The indefinite, uninterrupted strike - which comes after weeks of walkouts - would start on 5 September.

The ballot closes at midnight on Sunday and the result is expected on Monday.

More than 6,000 court hearings have been disrupted in England and Wales as a result of the walkouts by members of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA).

The CBA is asking for a 25% rise in pay for legal aid work, representing people who could not otherwise afford lawyers.

Criminal barristers are due to receive a 15% fee rise from the end of September, with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) saying the increase would see the average barrister earn about £7,000 more annually.

But members of the CBA have rejected the government's pay offer, saying it would not kick in immediately or apply to existing cases.

During the first 19 days of industrial action between 27 June and 5 August, 6,235 court cases were disrupted, including 1,415 trials, across England and Wales, according to MoJ data.

The CBA said the walkouts have had a "devastating impact on the ability of our crown courts to function with any semblance of normality".

It added that "the continuing refusal of the justice secretary to negotiate a fair settlement with criminal barristers comes at a very heavy price", measured both by the financial waste of courtrooms sitting idle and by the impact on complainants, defendants and witnesses.

The CBA said members had indicated that there "should be no pausing or halting of the ongoing programme of strike action".

"Given the expectation that the ongoing strike action will inevitably lead to the progressive incapacitation of court business, there is no doubt that resolving this dispute will be the critical priority of any incoming justice secretary," the CBA added.

An MoJ spokesman said: "The only outcome of escalating strike action is further distress for victims forced to wait longer for justice."

The MoJ added that backdating pay would require a "fundamental change" in how fees are paid.

"That reform would cost a disproportionate amount of taxpayers' money and would take longer to implement, meaning barristers would have to wait longer for payment," a spokesperson said.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×